Affordability and Economy in The Record
Affordability and Economy
More rentals available. Still tight.
About two of every 100 surveyed rental homes were vacant in October 2025. That is more choice than in 2022, when the rate was 1.5%, but still a small pool of available homes.
October surveys, 2021 to 2025 · Rental vacancy rate (%)
2%2025 · Campbell River
- Campbell River2%
- Courtenay3.1%
- Nanaimo2.2%
Sources & methods
These are CMHC reporting-centre estimates, not municipal-boundary counts. Survey reliability varies by observation, and vacancy alone does not describe rent, suitability or availability by unit type.
| Year | Campbell River | Courtenay | Nanaimo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1.2% | 0.3% | 1.8% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | 0.6% | 2.2% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | 0.9% | 2.6% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | 4.3% | 2.9% |
| 2025 | 2% | 3.1% | 2.2% |
Method notes
- Courtenay is used as the Comox Valley reporting-centre comparison.
- The series uses the total primary-rental vacancy rate reported in CMHC's annual October survey.
What should be measured next: Measure whether new rental supply moves vacancy toward a durable range without losing lower-rent units through turnover or redevelopment.