How this calculator works
Enter the current monthly rent, choose whether the unit is covered by the guideline, and say whether notice was given at least 90 days before the increase. The 2026 Ontario rent increase guideline is 2.1%. A landlord may raise the rent once every 12 months, and must give written notice on the Landlord and Tenant Board N1 form at least 90 days before the increase takes effect. The guideline does not apply to a unit first occupied residentially after November 15, 2018, to a vacant unit rented to a new tenant, to community housing, to long-term care homes or to commercial properties. A landlord who wants more than the guideline for a covered unit must apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an above-guideline increase. Out of scope: above-guideline increases, the rent for a new tenant, section 8 notices, care homes where only part of the rent is controlled, and municipal or federal housing rules. The calculator assumes the unit is in Ontario and that 12 months have passed since the last increase or since the tenancy began. Ontario rent control is provincial: there is no national guideline, and the United States has no equivalent federal rule.
Formula
Guideline monthly increase = current monthly rent x 2.1%. Monthly rent under the guideline = current rent + guideline monthly increase. Guideline increase for the year = guideline monthly increase x 12. Notice must be given at least 90 days before the effective date.
Worked example
On $2,000 a month, the 2026 guideline allows an increase of $42, to $2,042 a month, or $504 more a year. If notice was given less than 90 days before the effective date, the increase cannot take effect on that date. A unit first occupied after November 15, 2018 is not subject to the guideline, and a vacant unit rented to a new tenant has no guideline limit because the landlord and tenant agree on the rent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ontario rent increase guideline for 2026?
The 2026 guideline is 2.1%. It applies to most private residential units first occupied before November 15, 2018, and a landlord may take it once every 12 months with at least 90 days of written notice.
How much notice does a landlord need to give for a rent increase?
At least 90 days of written notice on the Landlord and Tenant Board N1 form. The increase also has to be at least 12 months after the last increase or the start of the tenancy.
Which Ontario units are exempt from rent control?
Units first occupied residentially after November 15, 2018, vacant units rented to a new tenant, community housing units, long-term care homes and commercial properties are not subject to the guideline. Some care homes have only part of their rent controlled.
Can a landlord increase rent by more than the guideline?
Only with approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board. An above-guideline increase is a separate application and is not included in this calculator.