Guides · updated 2026-08-25

Is my apartment rent-controlled? Ontario rules for 2026

Ontario caps how much most landlords can raise the rent each year. For 2026 the guideline is 2.1%. A landlord in a rent-controlled unit can raise rent by at most that much, once every 12 months, with 90 days written notice on the proper form (N1).

The big exemption

Units first occupied for residential use after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline entirely. Notice rules still apply, but there is no cap on the size of the increase while you stay. Most buildings on this site show a rent-control estimate based on their reported year built: buildings from 2018–2019 are borderline and worth verifying, because what matters legally is first occupancy, not construction start.

How to check your building

Search your address on this site: each building page shows the year built from its RentSafeTO registration and our rent-control estimate. To be certain, ask the landlord in writing when the unit was first occupied, or call the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Increases above the guideline

A landlord can apply to the LTB for an Above-Guideline Increase (AGI) for major capital work, unusual tax increases, or security services. AGI applications appear as L5 orders; building pages here show any L5 orders published for the address. Between tenancies there is no cap at all — when a unit turns over, the landlord can set a new rent (vacancy decontrol).

Sources

Quick answers

What is the Ontario rent increase guideline for 2026?
The guideline is 2.1%. It is the most a landlord can raise rent for a rent-controlled unit in 2026 without applying to the LTB, with 90 days written notice, at most once every 12 months.

Which units are exempt from rent control?
Units first occupied for residential use after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the annual guideline. Rules on notice and frequency still apply, but there is no cap on the increase amount.

Can rent go up more than the guideline in a controlled unit?
Only with an Above-Guideline Increase (AGI) approved by the Landlord and Tenant Board, or when a tenant moves out (vacancy decontrol).

General information, not legal advice. For your situation, contact a community legal clinic or the Landlord and Tenant Board.