Section of Vancouver living room with 'curtain acting as a door' advertised for $950/month
A portion of the living room of a downtown Vancouver condo with "a curtain acting as a door" is being advertised for $950 per month on Craigslist.
The listing is one example of how prospective renters looking to spend less than a thousand dollars for a shared suite have few options, with a recent federal report showing the average price for a two-bedroom unit increased by 6.3 per cent in 2022 – to $2,002 for a purpose-built unit and $2,504 for a condo.
In this particular ad, a sectioned-off space has been created to accommodate a third roommate in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite that is just over 800 square feet.
"About your sleeping area: Enclosed living room and is separated from the dining area with a large bookcase and wardrobe," the ad reads, noting the absence of an actual door. "Furnished with a twin bed and a desk."
A glance through online listings in any given month shows that converting spaces that are not officially designated as bedrooms into accommodations for prospective roommates is one approach people take to defray ever-rising costs of renting in the city, particularly in luxury buildings in the downtown core.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's annual renter's report, released in January, showed that Vancouver rents continued to be the highest in the country. The vacancy rate dropped to below one per cent, meaning there are scant options and fierce competition for what is available.
For people with less money, the situation is particularly dire.
"Important imbalances exist in the Vancouver rental market. Our data show that lower-income households face significant challenges finding units that they can afford," the report said.
Only about one in three market units is affordable to a household with an annual income of less than $55,000, only one in 200 is affordable to households with the lowest 20 per cent of incomes, the report noted.
The federal agency defines "affordable" as spending 30 per cent of one's income on rent. At $950, this space would be affordable to someone making $38,000 per year.
CTV News Vancouver has reached out to the person who posted the ad but did not receive a response.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air India flight diverts to Nunavut airport after online security threat
An Air India flight, en route from Delhi to Chicago, was diverted to Iqaluit International airport in Nunavut Tuesday morning following an online security threat.
Canada's inflation rate falls to 1.6% in September, raises odds of 50-basis-point rate cut
The chances of a half-percentage point interest rate cut by the Bank of Canada became more likely Tuesday after Statistics Canada reported the annual inflation rate fell to 1.6 per cent in September.
Cold weather, even snow, hits parts of Eastern Canada while West stays mild
It will feel more like winter for some parts of Eastern Canada over the next few days, with single-digit highs and snow in the forecast.
Canada and U.S. list Samidoun as terrorist group, U.S. adds Canadian to terror list
Canada is listing the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun as a terrorist group, while the U.S. has added a Canadian citizen affiliated with the organization to its counter-terrorism list.
Canada spat leads India newspapers as trade minister works to reassure business
As Canada's decision to expel New Delhi's top envoy and five other diplomats makes front page news in India, International Trade Minister Mary Ng is trying to reassure Canadian businesses with ties to the country.
Father of 10-year-old girl found dead in the U.K. called police from Pakistan to say he killed her
The father of a 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England fled to Pakistan and called U.K. police from there to say he had killed her, a jury heard Monday.
Child dead after falling from Winnipeg apartment building
A child is dead after falling from a Winnipeg apartment building on Monday.
Canadian court to consider when minors can be sentenced as adults
Canada's highest court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday on when a young person can be considered an adult for sentencing purposes.
Ontario government moving to restrict new bike lanes in municipalities
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria says the provincial government is introducing legislation that would require municipalities to receive provincial approval before removing traffic lanes to install new bike paths.