The information on this page has been reviewed by International Student Advisors on July 04, 2024.
Transition and Settlement
Housing
What are the common housing terminology in Canada?
Newspaper ads and notice board postings often use abbreviations to describe the accommodation and its features. These are some of the most common abbreviations:
- Appl/appliances: stove, refrigerator (fridge) and dishwasher
- Apt: apartment
- Bdrm or br: bedroom(s), usually preceded by a number. Bedrooms are separate from the kitchen and living room.
- Bsmt: basement, below the main floor of the building; usually a self-contained suite in the bottom part of a house
- cable: extra channels for your television; sometimes included in cost of rent
- drapes: curtains
- f: prefer female occupant only
- f&s: fridge and stove only, no other appliances
- hydro: electricity
- hot plate: heating elements for cooking but no oven-range
- gas: natural gas (heating)
- gdn lvl: Garden level generally means a basement suite which may be partially above ground
- incl util: Price includes cost of utilities (heat, hot water)
- m: prefer male occupant only
- n/d: non-drinker (of alcohol)
- n/p: no pets
- n/s: no smoking
- prkg: parking
- pvt ent: private entrance
- r&b or rb: room and board (cooked meals provided)
- range: full oven and range cooking elements
- refs: references required
- ste or suite: set of rooms
- w/d: washer and dryer
- w/w: wall-to-wall carpeting