Key takeaways
- Rooms and basement suites often share the owner’s Wi-Fi; full apartments usually do not include internet
- Get it in writing: the lease should say internet is included, the speed, and who fixes it
- Ontario’s standard lease has a section for included services; make sure internet is written there if it is included
- Ontario tenants can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for a rent reduction if an included service is cut
- In B.C., a landlord must give 30 days’ written notice and reduce rent to end a non-essential service
Is internet usually included in Canadian rent?
It depends on the type of rental. There is no national rule. These are common patterns, not guarantees:
| Type of rental | Is internet often included? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared house | Often | Speed, data limits, and whether you can use video calls or work from home |
| Basement suite in a family home | Sometimes (shared with the owner) | Whether the Wi-Fi signal reaches your suite and who resets the modem |
| Student residence | Usually | Rules on devices and gaming; ask the school |
| Apartment in a rental building | Rarely | Which providers are wired into the building |
| Condo unit rented from an owner | Sometimes (some buildings have bulk deals) | Whether the deal ends if the condo board changes contracts |
Before you sign, also read renting your first apartment and how to spot rental scams. A listing that says “all inclusive” should still list internet in the lease.
What should you ask the landlord?
- Is internet included in the rent, or extra? If extra, how much a month?
- Which provider and which speed? A plan for one family may be slow when shared with several tenants.
- Is it shared? Who else uses the same connection: the owner, other tenants, a home business?
- Who fixes it? Who do you call when it stops working, and how fast?
- Can you get your own line? If the shared internet is not enough, can a provider install a separate line, and who pays?
- Where is the modem? In a basement suite, the signal may be weak if the modem is upstairs.
Write the answers into the lease or in a message you keep. Spoken promises are hard to prove later.
What should the lease say about internet?
In Ontario, most residential tenancies signed on or after April 30, 2018 must use the government’s standard lease. Section 6 of the standard lease sets out which services are included in the rent. The government’s guide to the lease does not mention internet, so if internet is included, make sure it is written clearly in that section or in the additional terms. The guide also says that a landlord and tenant can later agree to add a service in exchange for a rent increase.
Good wording names the service clearly, for example: “Rent includes home internet (Wi-Fi), minimum 100 Mbps, provided by the landlord. The landlord will arrange repairs within 48 hours of being told about an outage.” The exact words are up to you and the landlord.
Rules differ in other provinces. See tenant rights by province for each province’s tenancy office.
What if the landlord cuts off included internet?
Internet is not a “vital service” in Ontario law. The Residential Tenancies Act defines vital services as hot or cold water, fuel, electricity, gas and, during part of the year, heat. But the Act’s list of “services and facilities” names cable television facilities, and utilities and related services.
- Ontario: a service or facility included with your rent may be reduced or stopped. If so, section 130 of the Act lets a tenant apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for a rent reduction. Keep proof: your lease, messages and dates of outages.
- British Columbia: the Residential Tenancy Act lists “cablevision facilities” and “utilities and related services” as services or facilities. Under section 27, a landlord must not end a service that is essential to living in the unit or that is a material term of the agreement. For other services, the landlord must give 30 days’ written notice in the approved form and reduce the rent by the lost value.
Whether internet counts as essential or material in your case is for the tribunal to decide. Free legal clinics can help: see free settlement services.
Getting your own internet in a rental
If internet is not included, you arrange it yourself:
- Find out which networks reach your unit. Ask the landlord or building manager, then enter your address and unit number on provider websites. Our home internet by city page lists the main networks in six cities.
- Ask permission before any drilling. A new line may need a hole in a wall or a cable outside. Get the landlord’s OK in writing, and tell the provider if you need a technician.
- Choose month-to-month if your lease is short. A 2-year internet term can cost a lot to cancel if you move after one year.
- Plan for move-in day. Book as soon as you sign the lease. Use your phone’s data until the line is ready.
Condos and bulk internet deals
Some condo buildings sign a deal with one provider for every unit. The cost may be part of the condo fees, which the owner pays. If you rent a condo unit, ask the owner:
- whether internet comes from a building-wide deal, and which provider runs it
- whether that internet is included in your rent
- whether other providers are also wired into the building
In Toronto, for example, Beanfield says it builds and runs its own fibre network inside the condo buildings it serves, so it depends on your building. If the condo changes its bulk deal, your service can change too. Ask the owner to tell you in writing if this happens.
Sharing internet with roommates
In shared housing, one person often signs the internet contract. That person is responsible for the full bill and the equipment. Protect everyone:
- Agree in writing how the bill is split and when each person pays.
- Agree what happens if someone moves out early.
- Use e-transfers so there is a record. See the Interac e-Transfer guide.
- Return rented modems when you cancel, or you may be charged for them.
Paying a share of internet to a roommate does not build your credit. Paying your own bills on time, and some rent-reporting services, can. Read rent reporting and your credit score.