The rising cost of housing in Canada is highlighted in a new report that shows that renters are often paying a significant amount more than homeowners.

According to research from RateSupermarket.ca, 44% of renters said they are paying more than a third of their income for housing while this is true for just 20% of homeowners.

For 15% of renters, the cost of putting a roof over their heads takes more than half their monthly income.

These figures are higher than the recommendation from the CMHC that housing costs should be less than a third of household income.

“If renting is the best option for a household, Canadians could save hundreds of dollars by shopping around for better deals on their other household expenses, helping to offset the impact of rent on a budget,” said Jacob Black from RateSupermarket.ca.  Renting is never the only option as more and more renters are looking to move into homeownership either with their own mortgage or through a reputable rent to own program.

Homebuying is on the agenda for many respondents with two thirds saying they intend to buy in the near future.

Of those, 40% of renters report they’ll need to use more than one third of their income to afford a suitable home, while 27% of homeowners still expect to pay more than what they are already spending towards that purchase.

Courtesy of: Canadian Real Estate Magazine