Victoria’s rental market is among the most sought-after in the country, as renters across Canada look west to find cities with vibrant communities, lifestyles and opportunities.

Ranked fourth in RentCafe’s annual Trending Cities report, Victoria follows Winnipeg in first place, Saskatoon in second and Edmonton in third.

Compiled by RentCafe, a national rental search site, the report highlights key indicators of rental market interest based on millions of website interactions, including metrics such as apartment availability, ad views, saved favorites and custom searches.

“What we’ve seen is a migration from big cities in the East, like Toronto and Ottawa,” said Doug Ressler, the business intelligence executive who created the report. “People are looking and looking for…Western Canada. »

Victoria’s rankings recorded a 34 per cent increase in preferred apartments and a 17 per cent increase in online traffic compared to the previous year. Ressler noted that Victoria renters tend to be attracted to the city not only for its beauty, but also for the lifestyle it offers.

“People are looking for more community lifestyle areas that are less (densely populated),” Ressler said. “Now that many people can work from home or start their own businesses, we are seeing people (migrating to Victoria) because of its strong sense of community and high quality of life.”

Although expensive compared to many Canadian cities, Ressler said, Victoria offers affordable options compared to other major metropolises. The report shows the majority of people interested in Victoria are Torontonians and fellow British Columbians, primarily from Vancouver, Oak Bay and View Royal.

Other high-ranking Canadian cities include Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton. The report attributes this trend to rising white-collar and tech jobs in these areas, which support higher housing costs and attract skilled workers.

Ressler pointed out that rental housing demand can also serve as a barometer of a city’s economic performance. As rental interest increases in Victoria, this trend could signal increasing economic growth.

“With population and infrastructure growth, that means economic diversity,” he said. “It leads to an influx of capital (which) means an increase in all kinds of goods and services… academic institutions, different types of businesses and start-ups.”