– by David Clark

Last year (14 November 2021) I wrote an opinion piece about Owen Sound being a “rental capital” of Ontario, having the fourth-highest rate of rentals to owner-occupied housing (based on 2016 census data). Owen Sound ranked just 4.3 percentage points below Toronto, 2.4 below Cornwall, and 0.2 below Brockville (see Table 1).

The 2021 census data indicates a very slight drop with Owen Sound’s standing, but nothing to brag about.

In 2016 Owen Sound’s rental-occupied housing was 42.9% and 57.1%, respectively; the 2021 census indicates it is now 42% and 58%. This is a down-shift of less than 1% (0.9%).

Of course, this very slight decline in the share of rentals is accompanied by a very slight increase in ownership.

The average household size remains unchanged from 2016 at 2.1 people.

Table 1 shows the ranking and rates of the top ten cities in my study for 2016 and 2021. Table 2 shows the change in ranking. Forty-nine cities were included in my previous study.

As I have stated in other opinion pieces, a change between two, five-year census periods does not constitute a “trend” nor does it constitute “turning a corner”.

Home ownership is still unachievable for many of Owen Sound’s residents; it still remains a “Rental Capital of Ontario”.

David Clark  MA, BES, BA (Honours), MAd (Diploma) is a Research Consultant and Member of Canadian Economic Association