Helping newcomers and refugees find housing in Canada.
LandingPad is a national housing program for settlement organizations to match newcomer clients with suitable housing for short or long-term rentals.
Partner Registration
Find a safe home in Canada.
Connect newcomers with verified landlords for short or long-term housing.*
Program support for Landlords:
- $1 Million Renters Liability Insurance
- Easy rental agreements
- Screened renters
- Conflict and mediation support
Helping newcomers to start a new life in Canada by reducing barriers to access market housing.
*All landlords and property providers must be verified before admission to the program.
How it works
Register to rent
Search rental options
Match with housing
Settlement
Organizations
LandingPad is a specialized rental database designed exclusively for settlement organizations, enabling you to match newcomer and refugee clients with pre-vetted properties effortlessly.
With LandingPad, you can:
- Find housing within your community or refer clients to available properties in any partnering community across Canada.
- Utilize a secure, centralized platform to streamline short and long-term rental placements.
- Access live rental inventory, simplify the process with electronic rental contracts, and benefit from automatic tenant insurance enrollment.
Facilitate Local or National Housing Referrals.
Support Newcomers
Reduce barriers to access housing
$1 Million renters liability insurance provided for every newcomer.
Earn positive rental references when graduating from the LandingPad program.
Establish a Canadian credit history with rent payment reporting to Equifax.
Why Host a Newcomer?
“I offered my home to a refugee family while I was on holiday for a month. It felt rewarding to help a family in need, especially since my home was otherwise empty. Meeting the family and seeing how much this support meant to them was an amazing experience.”
Vancouver, BC
Host Family
“Our hotel opened its doors to refugees, offering bedrooms to those in need. This initiative allowed us to support the community while covering our costs. It was a fulfilling experience to provide a safe and comfortable space for these families.”
Toronto, Ont.
Hotel Operator
“Sharing my home with a newcomer has been a profoundly rewarding experience. It’s been fun to learn about their culture and food, and I’ve enjoyed teaching them about life in Canada. Providing a safe space and witnessing the positive impact on their lives has been truly fulfilling.”
Vancouver, BC
Host Family
Become a program partner.
Join as a program partner to refer newcomer and refugee clients.
learn about partnershipsSome of our partners
Join Us.
Partner with us to help provide safe, welcoming homes for refugees and newcomers. By collaborating with Happipad, you join a national network dedicated to fostering inclusive communities. Whether you’re an organization, a sponsor, or a property owner, your participation makes a significant impact. Together, we can ensure every newcomer feels at home and receives the support they need to thrive. Join us and be a catalyst for positive change.
FAQs
What is LandingPad?
LandingPad is a program operated by Happipad, a Canadian social enterprise dedicated to addressing Canada’s affordable housing crisis. LandingPad is a secure housing database and rental management tool available exclusively for resettlement organizations who are supporting newcomers and refugees with settlement services.
How is LandingPad different from rental listing websites?
LandingPad is a private and secure database of verified rental properties exclusively for newcomer and refugee clients. LandingPad aims to simplify the housing process for settlement organizations and to navigate discrimination in the open rental market often faced by newcomers and refugees. LandingPad is much more than a rental advertising platform as it supports the entire process of matching clients with housing from finding housing, contacting landlords, signing rental agreements, facilitating deposits and rent payments, issuing insurance coverage, and providing landlord/renter conflict resolution support.
Who can use LandingPad?
Partner Organizations
Organizations who assist newcomers and refugees with settlement support in Canada are welcome to join the program as program partners.
Housing Providers
Private landlords, property managers, and homeowners who want to rent spare bedrooms, apartments, condos, or homes to refugees and newcomers are welcome to join the program. All housing providers are required to complete our verification process and may require properties to be inspected.
Renters
Newcomer and refugee clients served by a partnered settlement organization are able to use this program. Priority is given to recently arrived persons and clients who have been in Canada for up to 3 years.
How long are rental contracts?
Rentals must be at least 28 days and can extend multi-year/permanent housing. Rental contracts can be renewed or extended if the renter wishes to continue renting the property beyond the initial contract date.
What if there are issues or conflicts between the host and renter?
Happipad provides conflict resolution and mediation services for landlords to work through problems with renters. Our approach is to work through problems to find resolutions that work with all parties. If conflicts cannot be resolved, support will be provided to find alternative housing for the renters.
How can I contact Happipad's customer support?
It’s really simple to reach our customer care team! Just visit our website and go to contact. We are available to assist you with any questions, concerns, or technical issues you may have.
How is monthly rent paid?
Newcomer and Refugee renters pay rent directly to hosts. If registered with Happipad’s rent guarantee program, rent will be paid directly by Happipad by direct deposit.
Are there fees to use this program?
Hosts are only required to pay a one-time verification fee of $22.00 to join the program. There are no ongoing fees to participate in the program.
If Hosts register for rent guarantee, a monthly service fee will be deducted from the monthly rent ranging from 5 to 9%.
How are rental prices set?
Hosts are able to set their own rental prices, within reason. Hosts are able to see the rental budget of each renter by viewing their profile. The emphasis of this program is to provide affordable rental housing as renters are paying for their own rent and are often low-income. Properties that are overpriced will be removed from the program.
Price targets*: Prices for rent only, does not include food. Prices vary by location.
Individuals: Up to $800 per month
Couples: Up to $1500 per month
Families: Up to $2500 per month**
*Properties with lower rental prices will be prioritized for rental placements.
** Price targets subject to change by region and size of home.
The duration of a home-sharing arrangement can vary depending on the needs and preferences of hosts and renters. The duration is typically agreed upon between the parties involved; however, there is a minimum 30-day stay for rentals. We typically see 4-8 month contracts for students and 8-12 month contracts for young working professionals.
Have any questions?
We would love to chat with you! Reach out to the Happipad team and a representative will be in touch with you.