Did you know...
...that renters in the Plateau are facing significant financial pressure?
(From the study "Vivre au Plateau - Analyse des besoins des ainés." (ARP, 2026 - link ( in french only))
2021 census data highlights a particularly challenging situation for many renters:
- As of 2021, there were no subsidized housing units in the Plateau (compared to about 11% elsewhere in Gatineau and the Outaouais region);
- 38.2% of renters spent more than 30% of their income on housing;
- In 2021, the average rent in the Plateau was $1,071 -- $224 higher than the Gatineau average ($847). This means renters in the Plateau were paying about 26% more than the overall Gatineau average.
Since then, rents have continued to rise across the region. According to the most recent CMHC data, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Gatineau reached $1,460 in 2025, compared to $1,926 in Ottawa.
Upcoming census data will help determine whether the gap observed in 2021 between the Plateau and the broader Gatineau area still persists today.
This combination of high rents, rapidly increasing housing costs, and a lack of subsidized housing creates added pressure on some households, particularly seniors living on fixed incomes.
Sources :
Statistics Canada, 2021 Census (geographic profiles used in Vivre au Plateau - Analysis of Seniors' Needs).
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Rental Market Report 2025: average rent of $1,460 for a two-bedroom unit in Gatineau and $1,926 in Ottawa.
