Affordable and secure housing is often a significant barrier for most artists. We’ve collected a list of resources that may be helpful if you are an artist seeking housing in Canada.
Subsidized Housing for Artists
There are several non profits in Canada that provide housing opportunities specifically for artists, including Artscape, the Lakeshore Village Artists’ Housing Co-op, and the Beaver Hall Artists’ Co-op, as well as the Artist Residential Tenancy Studios in Richmond, BC, and ArtsHub118 in Edmonton, AB.
Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture in Vancouver partnered with the Vancouver Resource Society to assist in finding tenants for 14 accessible and affordable work/live spaces for artists with disabilities.
Subletting/Long Term Rental Resources
Volcano Theatre’s Lava Dome: a free database of housing, equipment, venues, and workshops exclusive to members of the arts community hosted by Volcano Theatre.
The Green Room Sublets: a facebook group INTENDED for the Canadian Performing Arts Community to find sublets across Canada and the US. There are also specific groups dedicated to cities like Toronto, Vancouver, etc.
Sublets for Nomads: A similar, smaller facebook group to find a sublet.
Toronto (Bunz) Home Zone (Toronto): A facebook group to find posts for available rooms and apartments to rent in Toronto, and to post/find roommates.
Homes for Queers Toronto: a facebook group for LGBTQIT2S++ people in Toronto, to help LGBTQIT2S++ people find lovely housemates and safe, happy homes.
Chez Queer Montreal: C'est un groupe pour tou.te.s les queers et leurs allié.e.s vivant à Montréal, qui vise à aider les personnes queers à trouver des maisons confortables et sécuritaires avec des chouettes colocs. / This is a group for all the queers and queer allies of Montreal to help queers find lovely housemates and safe happy homes.
For the Elderly
Performing Arts Lodge (Toronto): a charity mandated to provide affordable housing and support services to the aging, disabled, and needy members of the performing arts community. PAL also has chapters in Halifax, Ottawa, Stratford, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver.
Legal Support
The Federation of Metro Tenants Association offers a hotline for people with questions about their rights related to housing in Toronto: (416) 921-9494