This map shows the percentage of average running shelter costs in 2021 out of average after-tax income in 2020. Data for running shelter cost and income are not linked at the household level, but computed separately for each geographic area for this model.

Running shelter costs contain rent and utilities for renters and mortgage payments, property taxes and utilities for owners. Compare this to the corresponding map based on 2015/2016 data.

Canada wide this metric sits at 0.16, increasing slightly from 2015/2016 but rounding to the same number. At the provincial level BC had the highest ratio at 0.18, up from 0.17 in 2015/2016, followed by Ontario at 0.17, unchanged from 2015/2016. The largest increase happened for Alberta, which went from 0.14 in 2015/2016 to 0.16 in 2020/2021.

The metric in the City of Vancouver sits at 0.19, unchanged from 2015/2016. The ratio went up in some of the other Metro Vancouver municipalities, raising the overall metro-wide ratio to 0.19, up from 0.18 in 2015/2016. This compares to a ratio of 0.18 in Metro Toronto (0.17 in 2015/2016), 0.15 in Metro Montreal (down from 0.16 in 2015/2016), 0.15 in Metro Calgary (up from 0.13 in 2015/2016), and 0.16 in Metro Edmonton (up from 0.15 in 2015/2016).

Contrasting this to the median multiple map highlights the role played by wealth in some of the local markets, where running shelter costs to income ratios are low despite high home values. Similarly, the map of home values to running owner shelter costs highlights the disconnect of home values to what home owners pay on an ongoing basis to live there.

For more serious views on affordability we should refer to maps based on data computed at the individual household level.