12 minute read
CMHC COVID’s Impact on Seniors’ Housing
from CAM July 2021
by MediaEdge
COVID’s Impact on Seniors’ Housing
CMHC survey reveals rising vacancy rates in retirement homes
Vacancy rates in seniors’ housing are rising in all provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador, according to CMHC’s 2021 Seniors’ Housing Survey. Overall, the vacancy rate for standard spaces—those that do not offer high-level care—grew by 7.0 percentage points and currently holds at 15.6 per cent.
Conducted between April and May 2021, the survey looked at seven regions across Canada, compiling data about private and non-private residences in which 50 per cent or more of occupants are above the age of 65. The data reveals an increase in supply across most provinces, while the number of residents has decreased or only moderately increased. The weak demand could reflect the reluctance of households to move into seniors’ residences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quebec again posted the highest capture rate in the country despite a decrease overall. 17 per cent of seniors aged 75 and older live in seniors’ housing in that province compared to only 5 to 10 per cent in others.
HERE ARE KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SURVEY:
British Columbia
“Independent living space” vacancies continued to increase from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 12.5 per cent in 2021 with the largest increase in the Lower Mainland (14.7%). Vacancies on Vancouver Island increased from 3.4 per cent to 10.7 per cent with the Victoria region experiencing an increase of 13.9 per cent.
Higher priced independent living spaces had a larger vacancy increase as units over $5,000 increased from 4.9 per cent to 14.6 per cent. Conversely, the $1,900 to $2,399 segment only saw an increase of 1.9 percentage points (from 5.3 % to 7.2 %).
Average rents in B.C. across all unit types increased from $3,364 to $3,541 in 2021. In total, 877 spaces of mainly one-bedroom units were added, representing a 2.7 per cent increase in units.
Alberta
The Albertan seniors’ housing standard spaces continued to see rising vacancies jumping from 15.1 per cent in 2020 to 26.8 per cent in 2021. The Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area continued to see the largest increase in vacancy rate (from 12.6% in to 27.6%).
Standard spaces below $2,499 saw the largest increase in vacancy rates. In the segment of $2,000 to $2,499, rent spaces increased from 16 per cent in 2020 to 31.2 per cent in 2021. Higher vacancy rates were observed in these spaces in the rest of Alberta, compared to Calgary and Edmonton.
Average rent for standard spaces in Alberta continued to increase this year in all centres. For example, the average rent saw Calgary reaching $4,140 and Edmonton reaching $3,047. Meanwhile, the number of total spaces grew by 11 per cent in total for the province, bringing the number of standard seniors’ housing units to 16,523 .
The “Campuses of Care” Model
Results from a 2021 research report from AdvantAge Ontario sheds positive light on a specific model of senior care that has been operating successfully in Ontario for decades. Known as “campuses of care”, these are settings in which a mix of communitybased health and social supports are offered in one location along with different types of housing and long-term care beds.
“Campuses offer a sustainable and innovative solution for a new generation of seniors’ care,” said Jane Sinclair, Chair of the AdvantAge Ontario Board of Directors. “They bring services, supports and care together in one setting, which is incredibly valuable. But more importantly they are vibrant, age-friendly communities that promote friendships, social inclusion, mutual support, and positive aging.”
AdvantAge Ontario initiated a multi-year, province-wide research study of campuses of care supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Health Systems Impact Fellowship and with in-kind contributions from the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) at the University of Toronto. The final report, published by BMC Geriatrics and titled, “Seniors’ Campus Continuums: Local Solutions for Broad Spectrum Seniors’ Care,” was the first academic research of its kind on campuses.
The association’s research identified many important advantages offered by campuses, including built-in opportunities for providers and community partners to communicate, collaborate, and share expertise in order to promote more integrated, person-centred care that avoids unnecessary long-term care placements and hospital admissions.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and the terrible toll it has taken on long-term care adds greater urgency to discussions on how to keep residents safe and healthy and to ensure that we have viable options for the vast majority of Ontario’s seniors who wish to continue to live as independently as possible for as long as possible,” said Levin. “Campuses are uniquely equipped not only to respond but also to lead the creation of new and innovative approaches to care that support people and sustain health care systems.”
AdvantAge Ontario is an association representing the full spectrum of the senior care continuum, including not-for-profit, charitable, and municipal long-term care homes, seniors’ housing, assisted living in supportive housing and community service agencies.
Saskatchewan
The vacancy rate for standard spaces increased by 7.4 percentage points to 22.4 per cent with the Regina Census Metropolitan Area recording the largest increase to 30.2 per cent. Saskatoon increased by only 4.6 percentage points (to 19.1%).
The average senior housing rent level in Saskatchewan remained relatively stable at $3,116, compared to $3,105 last year. In terms of units added, most of the net changes in senior spaces were located in Regina where the area had an increase
of 220 units, bringing the total number of spaces to 2,120.
Manitoba
Vacancy rates increased for all unit types throughout the province of Manitoba, with the provincial vacancy rate increasing by 6.0 percentage points to 8.7 per cent. Vacancies in the Winnipeg Census Metropolitan Area were 8.2 per cent, while outside the city, vacancies were at 12.1 per cent.
Average rents for standard units remained stable—$2,844 in 2021 compared to $2,849 in 2020. Meanwhile, seniors’ housing supply increased marginally this year with Winnipeg adding 31 net spaces to bring the city’s total to 4,405 and the province’s total to 5,080.
Ontario
The vacancy rate for standard spaces in Ontario increased to 19.6 per cent in 2021, up from 11.0 per cent in 2020. The vacancy rate increased across all unit types. Demand for total spaces in Ontario’s seniors’ residences declined, while the total supply of seniors’ housing increased by 3.8 per cent.
The average rent for a standard space increased by 3.5 per cent to $3,999. Only 5.0 per cent of Ontario’s seniors aged 75
Building Envelope Repairs Balcony Modernizati on Parking Structure Rehabilitati on Roof Assessment & Replacement Window Upgrades Site Improvements Interior Upgrades New Ameniti es
© DAVROC & ASSOCIATES LTD.
DAVROC
& ASSOCIATES LTD.
.
Asset Transformation
Consulti ng Engineers Project Managers Materials Testi ng & Inspecti on
2051 Williams Parkway, Units 20 & 21 Brampton, Ontario L6S 5T4 t (905) 792-7792 DAVROC.COM and over currently live in seniors’ residences, representing a lower capture rate than the 2020 proportion of 5.5 per cent.
Quebec
The vacancy rate rose to a peak of 12.8 per cent in 2021, up from 6.9 per cent in 2020 for standard spaces. The average rent for standard spaces was $1,922 in 2021, compared to $3,652 for heavy-care spaces. An increase in rents for standard spaces has been registered in most regions with an average increase of 4.2 per cent overall. The highest average rent for standard spaces is in Gatineau at $2,287.
Atlantic Canada
The total number of spaces in Atlantic Canada grew 5.7 per cent to 10,599 units in 2021. This was primarily due to growth in Halifax where there was a 27 per cent increase in the number of units over the year.
A decline in vacancies in Newfoundland and Labrador (from 22.6% to 17.5%) came against increases in vacancies across the other three Atlantic Provinces. Despite the decline, Newfoundland and Labrador still maintained the highest vacancy rate in the region. The increase in vacancies were concentrated in spaces with rents of $3,000 and more, with the biggest change in spaces with rents between $3,000 and $3,499.
As Canada’s authority on housing, we contribute to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provide support for Canadians in housing need, and offer unbiased housing research and advice to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry.
HD Supply Canada Is A Leading Supplier Of Maintenance, Repair, Operations (MRO) Product For Multi-family Properties
From start to finish with all your MRO needs.
Appliances Janitorial Fabrication
Electrical
Hardware
HVAC Lighting
Plumbing
Tools Grounds
PPE and Safety Paint and Surface Repair
We offer:
• Access to 10,000+ products and continually adding new
MRO products everyday! • Free, Next Day Delivery* • Fast, Easy Online Ordering • Nationwide Distribution
• Property Management,
Renovation and Brand
Conversion Services
• Account Management
WE’RE ON IT™
20% OFF
Offer valid until September 15, 2021
YOUR FIRST ORDER**! USE PROMO CODE CAM20.
To place an order, please call Customer Care at 1.800.782.0557 and mention promo code CAM20. Applies to new customers only.
hdsupplysolutions.ca 1.800.782.0557
Conditions: **Get 20% off your first order promotion off will be applied to your shipped total. Discount is calculated before tax, shipping and other fees. All amounts charged for shipping, assembly, product handling, installation and tax do not count. Offer valid until September 15, 2021 at 11:59 PM EST. Exclusions include Special Orders, Renovations Orders, Large Appliances (Refrigerators, Stove Tops, Microwaves, Air Conditioners, AC Window Units), Textile and Amenities including any logo’s items (Robes, Slippers, key cards, printed notepads). Does not apply to back orders. Not valid on previous purchases and cannot be combined with other promotions or offers. Applies to new customers only. | www.REMInetwork.com | August 2021 |*Most major cities across Canada receive free, next-day delivery on orders placed by 4:00 PM EST. Most other cities can expect delivery within two to three days. 13
TAPPING IN TO NEXT-GEN INTERCOMS
It takes more than a static directory and buzzer to manage front door activity. That’s why many multi-residential managers and residents are seeking smarter and more secure ways of controlling building access. And with visitor traffi c only increasing, old-fashioned intercom systems might not be up to the task. The demand for smarter building access solutions is driven by several factors. Top among them is a rise in online shopping that is bringing more and more packages to the front doors of condos and apartments across Canada. In fact, a June 2021 study by PayPal reveals that Canadians upped their monthly online shopping spend by $2 billion during the pandemic , resulting in record-breaking activity for package delivery companies across the sector.
“Lately, we’ve seen some of our multi-residential clients’ intercom systems covered in dozens of notices from delivery services and couriers who tried to drop off a package but couldn’t gain access,” says Neil Denney, Executive Vice-President for Inlight Solutions, a GTA-based provider of smart, eco-forward solutions. “And because those systems require recipients to be in the building to ‘buzz them up’, there are a lot of missed connections.”
The volume of deliveries isn’t expected to slow down any time soon, Denney notes. As pandemic restrictions lift, multi-family buildings are likely to see even more visits from friends, family members, and service providers (e.g., healthcare workers, dog walkers, food deliverers, etc.). As such, dealing effectively with everyone seeking entrance, even when residents aren’t there, requires a more tech-savvy approach.
RE-THINKING THE INTERCOM
It’s a wireless, streaming, appdriven world. It only makes sense that intercom systems follow suit. Recognizing this, the proptech innovators at HIVE recently introduced the Hive Smart Video Intercom system as a way for property teams to stay ahead of the trends.
Distributed and installed exclusively in Ontario by InLight Solutions, the Hive Intercom enables residents to see and communicate with whoever is requesting access to their building through the Hive Intercom mobile app.
“Now, whether you’re home or not, you can answer that visitor request remotely through the HIVE app remotely from anywhere in the world,” explains Amin Damyar, President & Cofounder of HIVE. “From there, you can see exactly who is asking to be let it and decide to share a ‘digital key’ to the building or provide other directions.”
The benefi ts of a “smarter” intercom extend beyond remote access and real-time connectivity. The ability to see and track multi-residential visitors also embeds a welcome layer of security and accountability for property managers.
“Every time a visitor interacts with the Hive Intercom, the device takes a clear snapshot of the user and logs the details of their interaction,” Damyar explains. “That image and data is then recorded and stored so if there’s ever an incident, the manager can go back into those logs and fi nd out who came into their building, their time of visit, and other key details.”
Of course, seeing who is at the front door adds also delivers peace of mind for residents. According to Jinesh Patel, resident and co-owner at Lofts St-James: “After using Hive Intercom, it only makes answering more secure, especially with a video camera to get a glimpse before unlocking the door.’
Privacy is also a priority within multi-residential buildings. To that end, Hive intercom users can choose to remove their names and personal details from the touchscreen directory and respond to requests anonymously.
Speaking to Hive’s value offering for unit owners and renters overall, Denney adds: “Not everyone can afford to have a concierge, so this is an inexpensive and user-friendly way for residents to know you’re letting the right people in and out.”
GENERATING BUZZ
HIVE’s Smart Video Intercom offers a glimpse at how residential and commercial buildings alike are tapping into digital solutions to keep pace with modern demands. And thanks to its ease of installation, user-friendly design, and low cost of entry compared to traditional intercom systems, HIVE’s front door innovation is catching on.
“We launched Hive into the market in early 2021 and the interest has been very high,” Damyar reports. “Part of that early buzz is the fact that property owners and managers are looking for technologies that make their operations smarter and more streamlined, while building occupants are gravitating to any technology that keeps them more connected and in control of their environment.”
Certainly, says Denney, requests to install Hive among condos, apartments, and offi ce buildings have been climbing, especially as property teams pursue ways to keep pace with modern demands.
“At the end of the day, Hive is about intercoms catching up with the smartphone world, and everyone is recognizing the benefi ts,” he adds.
Learn more about InLight and the HIVE Smart Video Intercom at www.inlightsolutions.ca/ hive-x-inlight.
