Ontario Rent Increase Calculator
1.9% guideline for 2027, 90 days' notice, once every 12 months
Enter the rent and the dates to see what Ontario law allows.
Ontario rent increase rules
Ontario sets a yearly guideline from the provincial CPI, capped at 2.5%. It covers most units first occupied for residential purposes before 15 November 2018. Newer units are exempt from the guideline, but the notice and 12-month rules still apply to them.
| Applies to | Limit |
|---|---|
| 2025 guideline | 2.5% |
| 2026 guideline | 2.1% |
| 2027 guideline | 1.9% |
- Form N1, 90 days
- Administered by the Landlord and Tenant Board.
How Ontario rent increase rules have changed
Annual limit by province, 2017 to 2027
Quebec shows the tribunal’s recommended increase for an unheated unit, which is a reference point rather than a cap. Gaps are years with no percentage limit or no confirmed figure.
| Province | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 1.5% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 0% | 1.2% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| British Columbia | 3.7% | 4% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 0% | 1.5% | 2% | 3.5% | 3% | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| Alberta | No percentage limit in any of these years | ||||||||||
| Saskatchewan | No percentage limit in any of these years | ||||||||||
| Manitoba | — | — | 2.2% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 0% | 0% | 3% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 3% |
| Quebec | — | — | — | — | 0.8% | 1.3% | 2.3% | 4% | 5.9% | 3.1% | TBA |
| New Brunswick | — | — | — | — | — | 3.8% | — | — | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Nova Scotia | — | — | — | — | 2% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Prince Edward Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0% | 3% | 2.3% | 2% | TBA |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | No percentage limit in any of these years | ||||||||||
Notes on starred years
- Ontario 2021: Pandemic freeze
- British Columbia 2021: Pandemic freeze (CPI was 1.4%)
- British Columbia 2023: CPI was 5.4%; the government capped the increase at 2.0%
- Manitoba 2022: Freeze
- Manitoba 2023: Freeze
- Prince Edward Island 2023: Freeze set by legislation; landlords could apply to IRAC for more
- Prince Edward Island 2024: Ceiling under the new Act; 2024 landlords could apply for up to 3 points more
- Quebec 2021: TAL recommended rate for an unheated unit. Not a legal cap.
- Quebec 2022: TAL recommended rate. Not a legal cap.
- Quebec 2023: TAL recommended rate. Not a legal cap.
- Quebec 2024: TAL recommended rate. Not a legal cap.
- Quebec 2025: TAL recommended rate for an unheated unit, the highest since 1988. Not a legal cap.
- Quebec 2026: TAL base rate under the new method (secondary reporting). Not a legal cap.
- New Brunswick 2022: One-year cap under Bill 96
- Nova Scotia 2021: Temporary cap, introduced November 2020
Changes in legislation and policy
| When | What changed |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Guideline extended to units first occupied after 1991 The Rental Fairness Act, 2017 brought most private rental units under the annual guideline, closing the old 1991 exemption. |
| November 15, 2018 | New units exempted from the guideline Units first occupied for residential purposes after 15 November 2018 were exempted, which now covers most new condo rentals. Ontario: Residential rent increases |
| 2021 | Guideline frozen at 0% The pandemic freeze applied to all increases taking effect in 2021 under the guideline. Ontario: Rent freeze for 2021 (archived) |
| 2023 | Guideline back to 2.5%, the legal ceiling The 2023 guideline matched the 2.5% ceiling for the first time since 2013 and stayed there through 2025. CTV: highest level in a decade |
| 2026 | Guideline falls to 2.1%, then 1.9% for 2027 The guideline is set from Ontario CPI and announced each June for the following year. Ontario: Residential rent increases |
Increases above the limit
A landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an above-guideline increase, usually for eligible capital work or extraordinary operating cost increases. The board decides the amount, and phases it over more than one year if it is large.
When a tenant leaves
The guideline stops applying when a tenant moves out. The landlord and the next tenant agree on the rent, so the cap does not follow the unit.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ontario's rent increase guideline for 2027?
1.9% for increases taking effect between 1 January and 31 December 2027, down from 2.1% in 2026. It applies to rent-controlled units only.
How much notice does an Ontario landlord have to give?
90 days in writing on the Board's approved form (N1). The increase also cannot take effect until 12 months after the tenancy began or the last increase.
Does the guideline apply to my unit?
Not if the unit was first occupied for residential purposes after 15 November 2018. New buildings, additions to existing buildings and most new basement apartments are exempt from the guideline. Pre-2018 units are covered.
Rent increase calculators for other provinces
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-29. Legislation and yearly figures change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with the Landlord and Tenant Board before serving or contesting a notice.