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SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. —

Ruck Plehn has everything going for him.

At 23, he’s educated, in good health and has a full-time job at the Prince Edward Island Tax Centre as a tax auditor.

He doesn’t have any children or pets.

He doesn’t smoke or host wild parties.

But since he moved to Prince Edward Island from Halifax a year ago, he’s been unable to find a place to live in Summerside.

“It’s a little baffling,” said Dalhousie University commerce graduate, sipping coffee at a Summerside café.

When he first arrived on the Island last spring, he carefully considered his options.

“Coming out of university I didn’t have money for a down payment for a house, so my only option was to rent. And there weren’t many places to choose from.”

Last summer he was close to residing in a motel during the summer months until he got a call that an apartment was available in Wellington, a 20-30-minute drive from his job.

“It was definitely farther than I wanted to drive every day.”

But he moved in anyway.

When he heard that a two-bedroom apartment had become available in Mont Carmel, he found a roommate and moved there.

He was shocked, four months later when his landlord informed him that he had to be out by June 1 because he was turning the unit into an AirBnB for the summer months.

Now he has to seek another rental for the summer.

“It’s very discouraging and it isn’t fair," he said. "I’m a good tenant. I don’t have any money issues and I’m an organized and respectful person. And I have lots of references.”

Since he received his eviction notice he has been contacting all the large rental agencies in Summerside and has been put on a list.

“It’s hard to know where you stand the list, but I know that I have to be out by June 1. So, time is running out.”

Plehn is one of many tenants feeling the effects of the rental market situation in P.E.I.

Apartment shopping on a budget: Four Tips

Get roommates: The best way to be able to afford a place is to get more people in it. You're much more likely to find an apartment in your budget if you can split the rent with a roommate.

Avoid popular moving seasons: Make sure you understand how seasonality affects the rental market.

Check out brand new apartment buildings or ones that are just being built.

Look into middle-floor units: Rent prices tend to be higher for units that are either on the lower or higher levels of the building. This is because people love great views and want easy access to their homes.

Source: apartmentlist.com

Demand is growing way faster than supply, said Audrey-Anne Coulombe, spokeswoman with Canadian Mortgage and Housing.

“P.E.I. had the fastest population growth in the country in 2019, growing at 2.2 per cent compared to the Canadian average of 1.7 per cent.”

Employment and wage growth have also been strong.

“The province tied for second highest employment growth in the country with B.C.”

However, the supply situation is getting better.

The vacancy rate in 2019 improved to 1.2 per cent from 0.3 per cent in 2018.

“While supply responded slowly to demand, the situation is improving with more units being added to the market," says Coulombe.

Construction of apartment units has increased in each of the last three years and there are currently 705 rental units under construction.

“On a positive note, P.E.I. is a small market where the situation can change rapidly, and there are signs the vacancy rate will improve in the near future given the current rate of apartment construction.”

Vacancy rate information based on survey by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC):

P.E.I., 1.2 per cent; Charlottetown, 1.3 per cent; Summerside, 1.1 per cent; Cornwall, N/A; Stratford, 0.9 per cent

Vacancy rate in Charlottetown — 1.8 per cent, 2016; 0.9 per cent, 2017; 0.2 per cent, 2018; 1.3 per cent, 2019

Toronto, 1.5 per cent; Halifax, 1.1 per cent; Montreal, 1.5 per cent; Ottawa, 1.8 per cent; Fredericton, 1.3 per cent; Vancouver, 1.1 per cent

The CMHC survey targets only privately initiated rental structures with at least three rental units, which have been on the market for at least three months. The survey collects market rent levels, turnover and unit data for all sampled structures

The survey is conducted by a combination of telephone interviews and site visits and information is obtained from the owner, manager or building superintendent.

The survey is conducted during the month of October and the results reflect market conditions at the time

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