Rent Increases in Ontario
Reviewed by the Commoner Law Editorial Team. Sourced from Canadian federal statutes and official sources. Provincial information reflects each province's own legislation and court rulings. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Most provinces limit how much and how often your landlord can raise the rent. In general, rent can only go up once every 12 months, and your landlord must give you written notice — usually 90 days in advance.
Rent control varies across the country:
- Ontario: Annual guideline (published each August for the following year) — applies only to units first occupied before November 2018. Newer units have no cap.
- British Columbia: Annual maximum set by the province each year (tied to CPI).
- Manitoba: Annual guideline set by the Residential Tenancies Branch.
- Alberta and Saskatchewan: No rent increase cap at all.
- Quebec: Has advisory guidelines — tenants can challenge increases at the TAL.
Ontario allows vacancy decontrol, which means landlords can set any rent they want for a new tenant after the previous one moves out.
When does it apply?
- Applies to ongoing residential tenancies, not the initial rent when you first sign a lease.
- Your landlord can only raise rent once every 12 months.
- Rules apply differently depending on your province and when your building was constructed.
What should you do?
- Check if your unit is rent-controlled — in Ontario, units first occupied after November 2018 are exempt from the guideline.
- Verify the notice was proper — correct form, correct amount of advance notice, correct increase amount.
- If the increase is above the guideline, file a dispute with your provincial tribunal.
- Continue paying your current rent while the dispute is being resolved.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't ignore a rent increase notice — in Quebec, failure to respond within the deadline counts as acceptance.
- Don't assume your unit is rent-controlled — always check based on your province and the age of the building.
- Don't pay an illegal increase without filing a dispute first.
- Don't accept a verbal rent increase — your landlord must provide written notice on the proper form.
How Ontario differs from federal law
Ontario has rent control for most residential tenancies under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Landlords cannot raise rent whenever or by however much they want.
- Rent can only be increased once every 12 months and the landlord must give at least 90 days' written notice using the proper LTB form (N1 or N2).
- The annual rent increase is capped at the rent increase guideline set by the province each year. For 2025, the guideline is 2.5%. The guideline is based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index and is capped at 2.5% by law.
- Rent control applies to most residential units first occupied before November 15, 2018. Units first occupied on or after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline cap (though the landlord still needs to give 90 days' notice and can only increase once per year).
- A landlord can apply to the LTB for an above-guideline increase (AGI) in limited situations: extraordinary increases in municipal taxes, major capital expenditures, or increased security costs. Tenants can challenge AGI applications at the LTB hearing.
- When you move into a unit, there is no control on the initial rent — the landlord can charge whatever the market bears for a new tenancy. Rent control kicks in after the first rent is set.
Additional Steps in Ontario
If your landlord increases rent without proper notice, by more than the guideline, or more than once in 12 months, you can file a T1 application with the LTB to get the excess back. Check the annual guideline at ontario.ca/rentincrease. If an above-guideline increase is proposed, you will receive notice of the LTB hearing and can attend to challenge it.
Relevant Law: Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17, ss. 116–127 (Rent — General), ss. 126–127 (Above-Guideline Increases); Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020
Common Questions
When does rent increases apply?
Applies to ongoing residential tenancies, not the initial rent when you first sign a lease.Your landlord can only raise rent once every 12 months.Rules apply differently depending on your province and when your building was constructed.
What should I do about rent increases?
Check if your unit is rent-controlled — in Ontario, units first occupied after November 2018 are exempt from the guideline.Verify the notice was proper — correct form, correct amount of advance notice, correct increase amount.If the increase is above the guideline, file a dispute with your provincial tribunal.Continue paying your current rent while the dispute is being resolved.
What mistakes should I avoid with rent increases?
Don't ignore a rent increase notice — in Quebec, failure to respond within the deadline counts as acceptance.Don't assume your unit is rent-controlled — always check based on your province and the age of the building.Don't pay an illegal increase without filing a dispute first.Don't accept a verbal rent increase — your landlord must provide written notice on the proper form.
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