TORONTO, ON, August 18, 2026 — A new analysis from Rentals.ca finds that more than one in four Canadian renters (28.5%) have used AI tools such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini to help with their apartment search, marking the first time Rentals.ca has tracked this behaviour in its renter survey.
The findings, drawn from 1,194 survey responses collected between May 5 and June 14, 2026, show that AI has moved beyond early-adopter territory in the rental search context. Among renters who used AI, 72.6% found it helpful, with the most common applications being finding listings and researching neighbourhoods (57.7%), comparing rental prices across areas (45.5%), and understanding lease terms or rental rules (40.2%).
Adoption is highest among renters aged 25 to 34, at 35.5%, though renters 65 and over reported adoption at 22.8%, nearly matching the 45 to 54 cohort and suggesting broader generational reach than might be expected. Higher-income renters are more likely to use AI, with adoption reaching 37.9% among those earning $125,000 or more, compared to 23.8% among those earning under $25,000.
Key Findings:
· 28.5% of Canadian renters have used AI tools in their apartment search, with 72.6% of those users describing the experience as helpful.
· The top uses for AI are finding listings or neighbourhoods (57.7%), comparing rental prices (45.5%), understanding lease terms (40.2%), getting budgeting advice (38.1%), and writing messages to landlords (33.3%).
· Toronto and Ontario lead regional adoption at 29.9%, followed by BC/Vancouver at 27.2%, Alberta at 25.4%, Atlantic Canada at 25.0%, Manitoba/Winnipeg at 23.0%, and Quebec/Montreal at 22.7%.
· 21.2% of AI users found it unhelpful, a finding that points to real limitations such as listing data being outdated, local market nuance being missed, and lease guidance from a general-purpose AI being no substitute for legal advice.
For more information and rental market data, read the full report on Rentals.ca or reach out to media@rentals.ca.
The Rentals.ca Spring Renter Preference Survey collected responses from 1,194 renters across Canada between May 5 and June 14, 2026. Respondents were asked about their current rental search, housing preferences, household composition, income, budget, and attitudes toward the rental market. The survey was distributed nationally with the strongest representation from Toronto/GTA, Ontario outside the GTA, Vancouver/BC, Winnipeg/Manitoba, and Calgary/Alberta.