Housing in Canada
Temporary housing
After you get to Canada, you’ll need to find a temporary place to stay until you can rent or buy a home. One option is to stay at a hotel or hostel.
Most hotels and hostels have a website with:
- price
- location
- photographs
- the services they offer
You can also find reviews from:
- forums
- travel guides
- other websites
Learn more about hotels and hostels at Newcomers Canada.
You can also contact an immigrant-serving organization in the city or town where you plan to settle. Ask if there is temporary housing for newcomers and how much it costs.
We help refugees find temporary housing as part of the Resettlement Assistance Program.
Types of housing
Types of housing in Canada include:
- houses, such as:
- detached houses with property around them
- semi-detached and townhouses where each house shares a wall with another
- condominiums (condos)
- rental apartments, including:
- apartments with 1-3 bedrooms
- “bachelor” units made up of a single room as a living area and bedroom
- rental rooms, which are usually large homes divided into private rooms you can rent
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is Canada’s national housing agency. Their Housing for Newcomers section has information about:
- buying a house
- renting an apartment
