A Vancouver den renting for $750 is so small anyone over 5'9" tall won't be able to fit in it
A windowless den in a downtown Vancouver studio is about half the size legally allowed for a prison cell in Canada – and it's being rented for $750 a month.
Those currently navigating the city's rental market – notorious for high prices and low vacancy rates – are doing so at a time when record-breaking inflation is driving up the cost of everything from food to furniture. Wages aren’t keeping pace and tenants are bracing for their next annual rental increase which could be tied to the soaring Consumer Price Index.
Shared accommodation is one option people trying to find housing they can afford often pursue. But trying to find something for less than $1,000 a month brings up listings like one for a den that is "70 (by) 62 inches and without windows." A standard single mattress is 75 inches long, but a bed has been crammed into the space, resting rather awkwardly on the floor.
"You can use other parts of the studio as well. The price per month is $750 (everything included). Damage deposit is $350," the Craigslist ad reads.
"The building is right in the downtown and just three minutes' walk to the Stadium Skytrain Station. You'll share the apartment only with me (no other roommates)."
The dimensions of the den make it roughly 30 square feet. According to the Correctional Service of Canada, the minimum size allowed for a prison cell is roughly 70 square feet – which is also close to the minimum standard required for a bedroom in B.C.
While the dimensions of the whole apartment aren't provided, the listing does say it has an in-suite washer and dryer.
According to B.C. Housing, rent is considered affordable when it accounts for 30 per cent or less of a household's gross income. At $750 a month, this listing would be an affordable option for someone making about $2,250 a month. That works out to what someone working 35 hours a week making minimum wage earns before taxes.
It is twice the amount that people who receive income or disability assistance are given to pay for shelter each month.
Rentals like these, according to Robert Patterson with the Tenant Resource and Advisory Council, are often created by desperate tenants who are “trying to create a living situation they can afford.”
In a city where the average price of a studio sits at around $2,000, squeezing some basic furnishings into a space that was not designed to be a bedroom is relatively common.
"Many tenants have to resort to splitting rental units with many roommates to be able to make unaffordable rents. As affordable units continue to be lost through redevelopment and eviction, the units that are coming onto the market are almost exclusively 'luxury' priced rentals that working tenants cannot afford," Patterson told CTV News last month.
CTV News reached out to the person who put the ad on Craigslist but did not receive a reply.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.