How much can rent go up in Ontario in 2026 and 2027?
Rent for most Ontario tenants can go up by no more than 2.1% if the increase takes effect in 2026, and by no more than 1.9% if it takes effect in 2027. Those are the rent increase guidelines the Government of Ontario publishes each year, and they are the most a landlord can raise the rent without approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).
The percentage is only half of the answer. An increase is lawful only when two timing rules are also met: at least 12 months since the last increase or the start of the tenancy, and at least 90 days’ written notice on the proper LTB form. This Ontario rent increase calculator checks both. Enter the rent and two dates, and it returns the most the rent can go up, the new monthly rent, the yearly difference and the earliest date the increase can take effect.
The page is general information, not legal advice. The Landlord and Tenant Board decides disputes about rent, and Ontario’s residential rent increases page is the official statement of the rules.
What is the Ontario rent increase guideline for each year?
The Ontario rent increase guideline is 1.9% for 2027 and 2.1% for 2026, after three years at the 2.5% cap. The table lists every year Ontario publishes, newest first.
How to read this table: find the calendar year in which the increase takes effect, not the year the notice is given. The 2021 figure reflects a government-imposed rent freeze; Ontario says the guideline would otherwise have been 1.5%.
| Year the increase takes effect | Guideline |
|---|---|
| 2027 | 1.9% |
| 2026 | 2.1% |
| 2025 | 2.5% |
| 2024 | 2.5% |
| 2023 | 2.5% |
| 2022 | 1.2% |
| 2021 | 0% |
| 2020 | 2.2% |
| 2019 | 1.8% |
| 2018 | 1.8% |
| 2017 | 1.5% |
| 2016 | 2% |
| 2015 | 1.6% |
| 2014 | 0.8% |
| 2013 | 2.5% |
| 2012 | 3.1% |
| 2011 | 0.7% |
| 2010 | 2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.8% |
| 2008 | 1.4% |
| 2007 | 2.6% |
| 2006 | 2.1% |
| 2005 | 1.5% |
| 2004 | 2.9% |
| 2003 | 2.9% |
| 2002 | 3.9% |
| 2001 | 2.9% |
| 2000 | 2.6% |
| 1999 | 3% |
| 1998 | 3% |
| 1997 | 2.8% |
| 1996 | 2.8% |
| 1995 | 2.9% |
| 1994 | 3.2% |
| 1993 | 4.9% |
| 1992 | 6% |
| 1991 | 5.4% |
Source: Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (notice rule); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (12-month rule); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (disputing an increase); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (sample calculation); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (guideline table, 2014 to 2027); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (guideline table, 1991 to 2013); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze footnote); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze covered units exempt from the guideline); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (units the guideline does not apply to); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (cap on the guideline); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (notice forms); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (exempt units); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (above-guideline grounds); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (above-guideline limits); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (agreed increases, Form N10); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (five days to change one's mind); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form N1); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form N2); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form L5); Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 116 — Ontario e-Laws; Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 119 — Ontario e-Laws; Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 6.1 — Ontario e-Laws. In effect from January 1, 2026; checked October 11, 2026.
Ontario calculates the guideline from the Ontario Consumer Price Index, using data from June to May to set the following year’s figure, and caps it at 2.5%. The government announces it by August 31 for increases that take effect on or after January 1 of the next year. That timing is why a notice given in the fall of 2026 for a January 2027 increase already uses the 2027 guideline.
What does the guideline mean in dollars?
The guideline in dollars is the current monthly rent multiplied by the guideline for the year the increase takes effect. The table applies the 2026 and 2027 guidelines to three sample rents.
| Current monthly rent | Most it can go up in 2026 | New rent in 2026 | Most it can go up in 2027 | New rent in 2027 | Yearly difference in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,800 | $37.80 | $1,837.80 | $34.20 | $1,834.20 | $410.40 |
| $2,400 | $50.40 | $2,450.40 | $45.60 | $2,445.60 | $547.20 |
| $3,100 | $65.10 | $3,165.10 | $58.90 | $3,158.90 | $706.80 |
Ontario publishes its own sample calculation, and the calculator reproduces it exactly: a lease signed on June 1, 2026 at $1,000 a month can rise by $19.00 to $1,019.00 on June 1, 2027.
When can a landlord increase the rent in Ontario?
A landlord can increase the rent in Ontario once both timing rules are satisfied, so the later of two dates is the earliest the higher rent can start.
- The 12-month rule. In most cases the rent can be increased if at least 12 months have passed since the last rent increase or the date the tenancy began.
- The 90-day notice rule. The landlord must give the tenant written notice in the proper form at least 90 days before the increase takes effect.
The proper forms come from the LTB. The table lists the notice forms and the two forms used for increases above the guideline.
How to read this table: Form N1 is the standard notice of rent increase. The form names are the Board's own; the last column is a plain-language description.
| Form | Name on the LTB forms page | What it is used for |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | Notice of Rent Increase | Notice of rent increase a landlord gives a tenant |
| N2 | Notice of Rent Increase (Unit Partially Exempt) | Notice of rent increase a landlord gives a tenant |
| N3 | Notice to Increase the Rent and/or Charges for Care Services and Meals | Notice of rent increase a landlord gives a tenant in a care home |
| N10 | Agreement to Increase the Rent Above the Guideline | Written agreement between landlord and tenant |
| L5 | Application for a Rent Increase Above the Guideline | Landlord's application to the Landlord and Tenant Board |
Source: Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (notice rule); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (12-month rule); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (disputing an increase); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (sample calculation); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (guideline table, 2014 to 2027); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (guideline table, 1991 to 2013); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze footnote); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze covered units exempt from the guideline); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (units the guideline does not apply to); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (cap on the guideline); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (notice forms); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (exempt units); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (above-guideline grounds); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (above-guideline limits); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (agreed increases, Form N10); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (five days to change one's mind); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form N1); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form N2); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form L5); Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 116 — Ontario e-Laws; Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 119 — Ontario e-Laws; Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 6.1 — Ontario e-Laws. In effect from January 1, 2026; checked October 11, 2026.
Because notice has to be given at least 90 days ahead, every increase date has a last day for giving notice. This table shows that day for an increase on the first of each month in 2027.
| Increase takes effect | Last day to give written notice | Guideline that applies |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 | October 3, 2026 | 1.9% |
| February 1, 2027 | November 3, 2026 | 1.9% |
| March 1, 2027 | December 1, 2026 | 1.9% |
| April 1, 2027 | January 1, 2027 | 1.9% |
| May 1, 2027 | January 31, 2027 | 1.9% |
| June 1, 2027 | March 3, 2027 | 1.9% |
| July 1, 2027 | April 2, 2027 | 1.9% |
| August 1, 2027 | May 3, 2027 | 1.9% |
| September 1, 2027 | June 3, 2027 | 1.9% |
| October 1, 2027 | July 3, 2027 | 1.9% |
| November 1, 2027 | August 3, 2027 | 1.9% |
| December 1, 2027 | September 2, 2027 | 1.9% |
The dates count calendar days from the day the notice is given. The way a notice is delivered can change the day it counts as given under the LTB’s rules, so a notice sent by mail close to the last day is worth checking with the Board.
How do you use this rent increase calculator?
- Enter the current monthly rent. Use the lawful rent paid now, before the increase.
- Say when the unit was first occupied. Choose whether the unit was first occupied for residential purposes on or before November 15, 2018, or after it. This is about the unit, not the day the current tenant moved in. “Not sure” treats the unit as covered and flags it.
- Enter the date of the last rent increase. If the rent has never gone up, switch to the day the tenancy began and enter that date.
- Enter the date written notice is given. Use the date on a notice already received, or a planned date to test it.
- Open “Check a notice already received” if a notice is in hand. Enter the new rent written on the notice to see whether it is within the guideline, and the day of the month rent is due.
What does a worked example look like?
Take a tenant paying $2,400 a month in a unit covered by the guideline. The last rent increase was on January 1, 2026, and the landlord gives a Form N1 notice on October 1, 2026.
| Step | Result | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| 12-month date | January 1, 2027 | at least 12 months since the last increase |
| Notice date plus 90 days | December 30, 2026 | at least 90 days’ written notice |
| Earliest date of the increase | January 1, 2027 | the later of the two dates |
| Guideline that applies | 1.9% | the increase takes effect in 2027 |
| Most the rent can go up | $45.60 a month | rent times the guideline |
| New monthly rent | $2,445.60 | current rent plus the increase |
| Yearly difference | $547.20 | 12 months at the higher rent |
Now move the notice to November 15, 2026. The last day that kept the January 1 date was October 3, 2026, so the notice rule takes over: the earliest date becomes February 13, 2027. With rent due on the first of the month, the first full payment at the new rent would be March 1, 2027. The amount stays the same because the date is still in 2027.
The year matters most around December and January. A tenant paying $2,000 whose last increase was on December 1, 2025 can see an increase on December 1, 2026 at the 2026 guideline: $42.00 a month. If notice is not given until October 15, 2026, the earliest date slides to January 13, 2027, and the 2027 guideline applies instead: $38.00 a month.
Which units are exempt from the rent increase guideline?
Units in new buildings, additions to existing buildings and most new basement apartments that are occupied for the first time for residential purposes after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline, in Ontario’s own words. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 sets out the detail in section 6.1, including extra conditions for new units inside existing detached, semi-detached and row houses.
Three points are easy to miss:
- The date is about the unit. Moving in after November 15, 2018 does not make a unit exempt. A unit that was already lived in on or before that date stays under the guideline for a later tenant, and the Act also keeps the guideline for a tenancy agreement entered into on or before November 15, 2018.
- Notice still applies. The LTB says that for an exempt unit the landlord must still give at least 90 days’ written notice on the proper form, but there is no limit on the size of the increase. The Act’s 12-month rule is not among the sections switched off for exempt units.
- The landlord has to prove it. Ontario says that in a dispute the landlord must prove the building or addition was first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018, and that a tenant or landlord can contact the LTB to determine whether a unit is exempt.
Ontario also lists other cases where the guideline does not apply: a unit on turnover to a new tenant (the landlord and new tenant agree on the rent), community housing units, long-term care homes and commercial properties. In care homes the guideline covers only the rent portion of the bill, not services such as nursing, food or cleaning.
For an exempt unit the calculator still works out the earliest date, and shows the guideline amount for comparison only. One historical exception is built in: Ontario’s 2021 rent freeze also covered units first occupied after November 15, 2018, so a date in 2021 is flagged instead of being shown as having no limit.
Can a landlord raise the rent above the guideline?
A landlord can raise the rent above the guideline only with an order from the Landlord and Tenant Board or a written agreement with the tenant. The LTB’s guide to the Residential Tenancies Act describes three grounds for an application, on Form L5.
How to read this table: the limits are on top of the guideline for the year. An approved increase still needs 90 days' written notice.
| Ground for the application | Limit on the increase |
|---|---|
| The landlord's costs for municipal taxes and charges have increased significantly | No limit on the amount of rent increase that can be approved |
| The landlord has done major repairs or renovations (capital expenditures) | Not more than 3% above the guideline each year; a larger justified increase can be taken over three years |
| The landlord has operating costs for security services performed by people who are not employees of the landlord | Not more than 3% above the guideline each year; a larger justified increase can be taken over three years |
Source: Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (notice rule); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (12-month rule); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (disputing an increase); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (sample calculation); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (guideline table, 2014 to 2027); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (guideline table, 1991 to 2013); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze footnote); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (2021 rent freeze covered units exempt from the guideline); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (units the guideline does not apply to); Residential rent increases — Ontario.ca (cap on the guideline); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (notice forms); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (exempt units); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (above-guideline grounds); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (above-guideline limits); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (agreed increases, Form N10); A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act — Landlord and Tenant Board (five days to change one's mind); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form N1); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form N2); Forms — Landlord and Tenant Board (Form L5); Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 116 — Ontario e-Laws; Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 119 — Ontario e-Laws; Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, section 6.1 — Ontario e-Laws. In effect from January 1, 2026; checked October 11, 2026.
The LTB adds that special rules apply to capital expenditures: the landlord must make the supporting documents available to affected tenants, and the Board decides whether the work was really necessary before costs are passed on. Where there are serious maintenance problems, the Board may dismiss the application or require proof that they have been fixed.
A landlord and tenant can also agree to an increase above the guideline when the landlord will do major repairs or renovations, buy new equipment for the unit or add a new service. The agreement must be in writing on Form N10, the highest increase that can be agreed to is 3% above the guideline, and the tenant has five days after signing to change their mind in writing.
On the $2,400 example, the guideline plus the 3% ceiling for 2027 would be 4.9%, or up to $117.60 a month instead of $45.60. The calculator’s last table shows that comparison for any rent.
How does the maths work?
The calculator follows three steps, in plain English:
- Two dates. It adds 12 months to the last increase (or the start of the tenancy) and 90 days to the notice date. The later date is the earliest the increase can take effect.
- One guideline. It looks up the guideline for the calendar year of that date in Ontario’s published table. A year with no announced figure is shown at the 2.5% cap as a ceiling and flagged.
- One multiplication. Current rent times the guideline gives the most the rent can go up, rounded down to the cent so the answer never exceeds the guideline. Twelve times that amount is the yearly difference.
Increases compound, because each year’s guideline applies to the rent already in place. A rent of $2,000 at the end of 2022, raised by the full guideline every year, would reach $2,240.78 in 2027, which is $240.78 a month more than five years earlier.
What are the most common mistakes with Ontario rent increases?
- Using the wrong year’s guideline. The year that counts is the year the increase takes effect, not the year the notice is handed over.
- Counting 12 months from the lease renewal. The 12 months run from the last increase or the start of the tenancy. When a lease ends and the tenancy continues month to month, the same rule keeps applying.
- Treating 90 days as three months. Three calendar months can be 89, 90, 91 or 92 days. Notice given on December 1, 2026 for March 1, 2027 is exactly 90 days; notice on December 2 falls one day short.
- Mixing up the move-in date and the first-occupied date. The exemption depends on when the unit was first lived in, and the landlord carries the burden of proving it.
- Assuming the guideline sets the rent for a new tenant. On turnover, the landlord and the new tenant agree on the starting rent.
- Leaving an improper increase unchallenged. Ontario gives tenants 12 months after an amount is first charged to dispute it at the LTB.
How does a rent increase fit into a household budget?
A guideline increase is small each month and adds up over a year, so it helps to set it beside income. For a worker paid by the hour, the Ontario minimum wage guide shows the current rate and what a full-time week pays, and the Ontario income tax calculator turns a salary into take-home pay to compare with the new rent.
Renters with low or moderate incomes may also receive the Ontario Trillium Benefit, which is based in part on rent paid. Anyone weighing a rising rent against owning can run the rent vs buy calculator, and the comparison of tenant insurance in Canada covers another recurring cost for renters.
When is it time to contact the Landlord and Tenant Board or get legal help?
Contact the Landlord and Tenant Board when a notice is not on the proper form, when the amount is above the guideline without an order or a signed agreement, when it is unclear whether a unit is exempt, or when an application for an above-guideline increase arrives. Ontario lists the Board’s contact details as ltb@ontario.ca, 416-645-8080 and toll-free 1-888-332-3234, and the LTB forms page has every form named above.
A community legal clinic, a licensed paralegal or a lawyer can give advice on a specific tenancy. This calculator is an educational estimate built on the published guideline and the rules as Ontario and the LTB state them; it does not replace the Act, an LTB order or legal advice.