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13-10-2021 | By : Rose-Victoria Wolff

Overview period 2020-2021 - Residences for the elderly

Across Canada, vacancy rates in retirement homes (RPAs) have increased over the period 2020-2021, characterized by the Covid-19 health crisis.

However, the RPA market remains attractive in Quebec. The percentage of people aged 75 and over who have chosen a seniors' residence as their home (attraction rate) is 18.4%, a rate much higher than in other Canadian provinces, where the latter varies between 5 and 10%. In 2019, public reports put the number of units to be built to maintain market conditions at 60,000 new homes.

Why such an attraction in Quebec?

On the one hand, as we can see on the map above, so-called "standard" places are much more affordable in Quebec than in the other provinces of Canada. On the other hand, and this partly explains the first point, the supply of residences in Quebec is made up of a significant number of self-contained dwellings while in the other provinces RPAs generally include meals and care. The target reached in Quebec is therefore significantly higher.

Currently, the market is characterized by the domination of large players who have gradually taken over the market share of residences with 30 units and less which have gone bankrupt during the period. The median size of a residence in Quebec is 64 units, however certain regions stand out, such as the Montreal or Gatineau CMAs, whose median size of residences is respectively 122 and 149 units. Conversely, Mauricie and Capitale-Nationale are the regions offering the smallest structures, respectively, of 26 and 24 units.

Residences of less than 50 units represent 41% of retirement homes in Quebec, however they represent only 9% of the total supply. Conversely, residences with more than 90 units represent 42% of RPAs and represent 81% of the total supply.

Do you have a retirement home project in Quebec?


Several parameters must be studied to determine the attractiveness of a sector:

  • Geographical location
  • The resale value of single-family homes (determine the envelope of target households selling their residence to become tenants in RPA)
  • The median household income and the median individual income of seniors
  • The proportion of owner households
  • The growth of the population of people aged 75 and over
  • The demand coverage rate (TCD)
  • The type of RPA (profit or non-profit), takeover or creation of a residence

The market research department supports you in your project. We carry out full or preliminary potential studies to guide you in your strategic decisions. For any questions or request for a quote, do not hesitate to contact us at 514-223-2155, ext 1 or by email at info@caprea.ca

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