WiredScore, a third-party certifier of digital connectivity in commercial buildings, is launching a similar program for the North American multifamily sector. This follows an earlier rollout in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where more than 30,000 units of housing are now WiredScore rated.

Starlight Investments and KingSett Capital are identified as two Canadian landlords that have signed on, along with some prominent American players such as Hines, GreyStar, John Buck and Rabina. The North American launch occurs in tandem with release of a tenants’ sentiment survey, which finds that renters increasingly view internet services as a utility comparable in importance to gas or electricity.

Nearly half of survey respondents affirm that access to high-speed internet is essential to enable them to work from home. Meanwhile, 80 per cent of respondents report frequent issues with WiFi connection and 48 per cent say they would not have rented their current apartment if they had been aware of the poor connectivity.