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Changing Patterns in Canadian Homeownership and Shelter Costs, 2006 Census: Shelter costs

Mortgage-free owners had the lowest median shelter costs

Not unexpectedly, owner households that were mortgage-free had lower median shelter costs than owner households with mortgages. In 2006, the median shelter costs for owners without mortgages were $5,054, one-third of the median shelter costs of $15,263 for owners with mortgages.

Owners without mortgages also had lower shelter costs than renters. In 2006, the median shelter costs for renter households were $8,057, roughly $3,000 more than the median for mortgage-free owners.

However, mortgage-free owners experienced above-average increases in their shelter costs between 2001 and 2006. Since they do not have mortgages to pay, price increases in the other components of their shelter costs, such as property taxes and fuels, have a larger effect on their overall payment.

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