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Market conditions may dictate new homebuyer strategy: Own the escape, rent the commute

Rental stability, price erosion, hybrid work affect first‑time buying
Hines' new apartment building, West House at 88 Bathurst St., was completed in 2025, adding 307 units in downtown Toronto. (CoStar)
Hines' new apartment building, West House at 88 Bathurst St., was completed in 2025, adding 307 units in downtown Toronto. (CoStar)
CoStar Analytics
January 16, 2026 | 12:44 P.M.

Canada’s housing market is entering a structural transition in which near‑term conditions in major urban centers increasingly favour renting over buying. One consequence of these dynamics may be that more first-time buyers consider homeownership options outside urban centres.

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News | Market conditions may dictate new homebuyer strategy: Own the escape, rent the commute