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A growing trend in Canada’s rental market was discovered by an undercover CBC Marketplace investigation. Landlords are providing free or discounted rent in exchange for sexual services, mainly to young women who are struggling financially. Usually found on popular rental websites, these deceptive offers target those who are already in dire need of affordable accommodation.
Legal professionals are certain that these kinds of arrangements are illegal in Canada, particularly under the 2014 Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act. Under the Act, it is illegal to purchase sexual services and obtain financial benefits from them. Tenants are encouraged to report such approaches and are not required to comply with these requests.
The Arrangement Is Raising Legal And Ethical Questions
Council members in Brampton reacted angrily to a Facebook Marketplace ad that targeted young female tenants by offering meals and rent in a “friends-with-benefits” arrangement. Outrage about the monetization of homes and human dignity was triggered by the posting, which was reportedly directed toward foreign students who were new to the area.
Real estate agents and community leaders cited the lack of available housing and excessive costs as factors that encourage this unscrupulous behavior. Rising demand, inflation, and a lack of available housing, according to one real estate agent, create desperation and force people into dubious agreements in order to find a place to live.
In the meantime, local authorities are taking steps to improve protections: Brampton is working with neighborhood groups to help impacted tenants, encouraging rental licensing, and developing regulations to stop overcrowding and unscrupulous subletting.
The moment the post got viral, internet users hopped in to voice their concerns and opinions in the comments section. The Liberacrat commented, “Why are we always taking ten steps back?” Another user saw nothing wrong with the arrangement and wrote, “Financial dating is where it’s at.” To which another user replied, “Every day y’all come with different words for prostitution.”
Skyrocketing Housing Prices Could Be The Reason
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There has been a significant rise in home rents in Canada, especially in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver. In Toronto, a one-bedroom apartment’s rent averaged $1,600 in 2013. That amount rose to $2,503 by 2022. Over the same period, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver increased from $995 to $1,543, as per The Globe and Mail.
Average prices are equally expensive for homebuyers. As of July 2025, a good mortgage rate in Toronto required an income between $184,024 and $213,980. The current average price of a property is around $1 million.
Between 2000 and 2021, average home prices nationwide rose by 375 percent. The median income, meanwhile, did not keep up. It increased by 86.5% from $23,100 in 2002 to $42,090 in 2022.