Key takeaways
- Ontario: 2.1% for increases in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027, for units first lived in before November 16, 2018
- BC: 2.3% in 2026 and 2.2% in 2027, with 3 full months’ notice
- Rent can usually go up only once every 12 months
- Alberta and Saskatchewan have no cap on the amount
- Quebec has no fixed cap, but you can refuse an increase and the TAL can set it
Rent increase limits by province
| Province | 2026 limit | 2027 limit | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 2.1% | 1.9% | 90 days, in writing, on the official form |
| British Columbia | 2.3% | 2.2% | 3 full months, on the official form |
| Alberta | No cap on the amount | 3 full tenancy months for monthly tenancies; once a year | |
| Quebec | No fixed cap; TAL can set the increase | Written notice before the lease ends | |
| Saskatchewan, NB, NL, NT, NU | No fixed cap | Written notice rules apply | |
| Manitoba, PEI, Nova Scotia, Yukon | Yearly guideline or cap set by the province | Check your residential tenancy office | |
Ontario’s guideline is based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index and can never be more than 2.5%. BC’s limit is tied to inflation, and landlords cannot round up when they calculate it.
Ontario: who is covered by the guideline?
The guideline covers most rented homes in Ontario, including apartments, houses and basement units. It does not cover units in new buildings, additions and most new basement apartments that were first lived in after November 15, 2018. For those units, there is no limit on the amount, but the landlord still needs to wait 12 months between increases and give 90 days’ written notice.
A landlord can raise rent above the guideline only with approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board (for example after major repairs or a big jump in property tax), or if you agree to pay more for a new service, such as parking.
How the calculator works
Maximum increase = current rent × limit for the year, rounded down to the cent.
The year is the year the new rent starts, not the year you get the notice. For example, if your landlord gives you notice in November 2026 for an increase on March 1, 2027, the 2027 limit applies.
For provinces without a fixed limit in the tool, you can enter a percentage to see the new rent.
Worked example
You pay $2,200 a month in Toronto in a building from the 1990s. Your increase starts in March 2027.
- 2027 guideline: 1.9%
- Maximum increase: $2,200 × 1.9% = $41.80 a month
- New maximum rent: $2,241.80
In Vancouver, the same rent with a 2027 increase could rise by at most 2.2%, or $48.40.
If your landlord asks for more
- You do not have to pay an increase above the limit. In Ontario and BC you can keep paying your current rent and contact the tenancy board.
- If you already paid an illegal increase, you may be able to get the money back.
- Your landlord cannot evict you for asking about your rights.
Learn more in our guides to tenant rights by province, renting your first apartment and avoiding rental scams.