In Toronto, where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment has skyrocketed to over $2,400, finding affordable housing has become a Herculean task. This challenge has prompted landlords throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to employ creative—and sometimes outright illegal—methods to maximize their rental incomes by transforming unconventional spaces into makeshift living quarters.
One such example is a recent rental listing from Mississauga that caught the eye—and ire—of many. Priced at $600 per month, this “shared room” arrangement crams four tenants into a single space, with minimal privacy and shared amenities. This listing quickly gained notoriety after being shared on Reddit, where users expressed their shock and called for action against such exploitative practices.
Reddit users criticized the listing for its lack of basic living standards, with one noting that legally, “If you’re charging money, it must be private, and have a full egress window.” Others pointed out the absurdity of generating $2,400 in revenue by stuffing four people into one room, equating the arrangement more to a “boarding school” or “prison cell” than a home.
Amidst calls to report these illegal housing units to authorities, frustration is mounting. “People struggling and these greedy landlords charge outrageous prices for shoddy living spaces,” a Reddit user lamented. The situation underscores the broader issue of housing affordability in Toronto, where many are left with few options but to accept substandard living conditions. As the city grapples with this crisis, the outcry from the community is a poignant reminder of the urgent need for regulatory oversight and reform in the rental market.