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CMHC Affordable Rent Criteria
The median renter income by market, and the rent level at 30% of that income, which CMHC uses as the affordability threshold when scoring MLI Select applications.
Primary markets
Maximum affordable rent is 30% of the median renter income, divided over twelve months. Figures are based on 2019 median renter income data.
| Market | Median renter income (2019) | 30% of median | Max affordable rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrie | $58,900 | $17,670 | $1,473 |
| Brampton | $67,700 | $20,310 | $1,693 |
| Calgary | $69,500 | $20,850 | $1,738 |
| Edmonton | $66,600 | $19,980 | $1,665 |
| Guelph | $57,400 | $17,220 | $1,435 |
| Halifax | $49,900 | $14,970 | $1,248 |
| Hamilton | $44,400 | $13,320 | $1,110 |
| Kitchener | $57,000 | $17,100 | $1,425 |
| London | $39,600 | $11,880 | $990 |
| Mississauga | $49,000 | $14,700 | $1,225 |
| Montreal CMA | $43,600 | $13,080 | $1,090 |
| Ottawa - Gatineau (Ontario) | $61,400 | $18,420 | $1,535 |
| Ottawa - Gatineau (Québec) | $48,800 | $14,640 | $1,220 |
| Saskatoon | $43,600 | $13,080 | $1,090 |
| Sault Ste. Marie | $22,100 | $6,630 | $553 |
| Toronto CMA | $53,900 | $16,170 | $1,348 |
| Vancouver CMA | $66,900 | $20,070 | $1,673 |
| Victoria | $48,900 | $14,670 | $1,223 |
Secondary markets
The same threshold applied across secondary Canadian markets.
| Market | Median renter income (2019) | 30% of median | Max affordable rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbotsford | $64,200 | $19,260 | $1,605 |
| Brantford | $40,300 | $12,090 | $1,008 |
| Burnaby | $60,200 | $18,060 | $1,505 |
| Cape Breton | $39,400 | $11,820 | $985 |
| Charlottetown | $49,300 | $14,790 | $1,233 |
| Chilliwack | $83,200 | $24,960 | $2,080 |
| Cornwall | $24,700 | $7,410 | $618 |
| Fredericton | $49,800 | $14,940 | $1,245 |
| Greater Sudbury | $46,500 | $13,950 | $1,163 |
| Kamloops | $40,900 | $12,270 | $1,023 |
| Kelowna | $47,500 | $14,250 | $1,188 |
| Kingston | $52,500 | $15,750 | $1,313 |
| Laval | $48,800 | $14,640 | $1,220 |
| Lethbridge | $43,000 | $12,900 | $1,075 |
| Moncton | $45,700 | $13,710 | $1,143 |
| Nanaimo | $40,900 | $12,270 | $1,023 |
| Oshawa | $54,000 | $16,200 | $1,350 |
| Prince George | $34,700 | $10,410 | $868 |
| Quebec - CMA | $41,100 | $12,330 | $1,028 |
| Red Deer | $35,900 | $10,770 | $898 |
| Regina | $42,400 | $12,720 | $1,060 |
| Rouyn-Noranda | $39,000 | $11,700 | $975 |
| Saguenay | $39,200 | $11,760 | $980 |
| Saint-Georges | $43,700 | $13,110 | $1,093 |
| Saint-Hyacinthe | $26,900 | $8,070 | $673 |
| Saint-Jean-Iberville | $44,500 | $13,350 | $1,113 |
| Saint John | $48,000 | $14,400 | $1,200 |
| Sarnia | $25,800 | $7,740 | $645 |
| Sherbrooke | $32,600 | $9,780 | $815 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara | $41,900 | $12,570 | $1,048 |
| St John's | $52,400 | $15,720 | $1,310 |
| Summerside | $34,600 | $10,380 | $865 |
| Surrey | $51,000 | $15,300 | $1,275 |
| Thompson | $68,300 | $20,490 | $1,708 |
| Thunder Bay | $42,800 | $12,840 | $1,070 |
| Trois-Rivières | $30,700 | $9,210 | $768 |
| Val-d'Or | $49,300 | $14,790 | $1,233 |
| Windsor | $34,000 | $10,200 | $850 |
| Winnipeg | $44,000 | $13,200 | $1,100 |
| Wood Buffalo | $72,400 | $21,720 | $1,810 |
Working out whether your building scores under MLI Select?
These thresholds move with CMHC policy. Our team underwrites MLI Select applications every week and can tell you where a specific project lands. Read the latest policy changes in our insights, or speak to us directly.
