Rent Increase Rules in Canada (2026) by Province

Every Canadian province and territory sets its own rules for how much a landlord can raise the rent and how often, and the numbers change every year. For 2026, seven jurisdictions cap the increase to a set percentage or guideline, five have no percentage cap at all and rely on notice and frequency rules instead, and Quebec uses a different model: a non-binding estimate that a landlord proposes and a tenant can refuse. This page sets out the 2026 rules jurisdiction by jurisdiction, checked against each government's own announcement.

Information verified against provincial and territorial government sources as of 19 July 2026. Rent increase caps and guidelines change annually and are set out below by jurisdiction. This is general legal information, not legal advice.

No federal rent cap: each province sets its own rules

Canada has no national rent control law. Residential tenancies fall under provincial and territorial jurisdiction, so how much a landlord can raise the rent, how much notice is required, and whether a tenant can dispute the amount all depend on where the unit is located. Seven provinces and territories publish an annual capped number for 2026, five set no percentage limit, and Quebec uses a case-by-case estimate rather than a fixed figure. The figures below reflect what was in effect or officially announced for 2026 at each government's own source; guidelines are typically announced months ahead of the calendar year and can be revised, so check the linked page before relying on a specific number for your lease.

Provinces with a 2026 rent increase cap or guideline

Ontario: 2.1 per cent guideline

Ontario's 2026 rent increase guideline is 2.1 per cent, the lowest in four years and down from 2.5 per cent in 2025. It applies to most private rental units first occupied on or before November 15, 2018. A landlord must give at least 90 days' written notice on the proper form, and can raise the rent only once every 12 months for the same tenant.

Units first occupied after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the guideline; a landlord of an exempt unit can propose an increase of any size, still subject to the 90-day notice and once-a-year limit. A landlord who wants to raise rent above the guideline on a covered unit must apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board, and regulations restrict how large such an increase can be in a single year. See our guide to Ontario tenant rights for how to respond to a rent increase notice.

British Columbia: 2.3 per cent

British Columbia's maximum allowable rent increase for 2026 is 2.3 per cent, down from 3 per cent in 2025, tied to inflation and set annually. A landlord must give at least three full months' written notice stating the exact new dollar amount, and can raise the rent only once every 12 months, measured from the tenancy's start or the last increase. A landlord cannot make up for a smaller increase applied earlier by adding the difference later.

Manitoba: 1.8 per cent

Manitoba's 2026 rent increase guideline is 1.8 per cent, effective January 1, 2026, calculated from the Manitoba consumer price index. It covers most apartments, rooms, houses, and duplexes, though units at $1,670 or more a month, social and government housing, and buildings first occupied after March 2005 are exempt. Landlords must give at least three months' notice and, in most cases, can raise rent only once a year, or apply for a larger increase if the guideline will not cover documented cost increases.

Nova Scotia: 5 per cent temporary cap

Nova Scotia has kept a temporary rent cap in place since January 2024, limiting most increases to 5 per cent a year, and has extended the cap through December 31, 2027. Landlords must give at least four months' written notice and can increase rent only once every 12 months. The cap does not apply the first time rent is set for a new tenant entering a brand-new tenancy agreement.

New Brunswick: 3 per cent cap

New Brunswick's rent cap remains at 3 per cent for 2026, and the province has said it will hold through 2027 before its next scheduled review. Landlords must give at least six months' notice, and can raise rent only once every 12 months, never within a tenancy's first year. A landlord can apply to the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office for an increase up to 9 per cent, but only to recover capital-expenditure costs such as major renovations, with supporting evidence.

Prince Edward Island: 2 per cent

Prince Edward Island's Director of Residential Tenancy set the 2026 annual allowable rent increase at 2 per cent, effective January 1, 2026, for all rental units, including mobile home sites. Landlords must give at least three months' notice on the official form, and can raise rent only once in a 12-month period, or apply for a further increase up to 3 per cent above the allowable amount with an order from the Director.

Yukon: 2.6 per cent rent index

Yukon runs its rent index on a different schedule than the provinces. The 2026 rate of 2.6 per cent applies to increases between May 15, 2026, and May 14, 2027, based on the territory's average consumer price index over the prior two years. Landlords must give at least three months' notice, cannot raise rent within a tenancy's first 12 months, and can increase it only once a year after that. This is set to be the final year Yukon's rent cap applies, with removal expected before May 2027.

Provinces and territories with no rent increase cap in 2026

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut set no percentage limit on rent increases. Each instead relies on notice-period and frequency rules for predictability, without capping the dollar amount.

Alberta requires at least three tenancy months' notice for a month-to-month tenancy (12 tenancy weeks for a weekly tenancy), with rent raised only once in a 365-day period; a fixed-term lease cannot be increased mid-term unless it allows this. Saskatchewan requires 12 months' notice from most landlords, once every 12 months; a landlord belonging to a recognized landlord association can instead use six months' notice and raise rent every six months. Newfoundland and Labrador requires at least six months' notice for a month-to-month or fixed-term tenancy (eight weeks for a weekly tenancy), once every 12 months and never in a tenancy's first year. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut, sharing closely related tenancy legislation, both require at least three months' notice, once every 12 months.

None of these five jurisdictions reviews or pre-approves the size of an increase. A tenant who believes an increase is unreasonable, retaliatory, or improperly noticed can raise a dispute with the residential tenancies office in their jurisdiction.

Quebec: no cap, an estimate instead

Quebec does not use a fixed percentage cap. When a lease comes up for renewal, the landlord proposes a new rent in a notice of lease modification, and the tenant can accept it, negotiate a different figure, or refuse it. If the tenant refuses and the landlord still wants to proceed, the matter goes to the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL), which fixes the rent using its own published method.

Since January 1, 2026, the TAL has used a new method built mainly on a three-year average of Quebec's consumer price index, replacing a more complex formula. For the period most recently priced, it published a base recommended rate around 3.1 per cent, with add-ons for eligible costs such as taxes, insurance, and amortized capital work. These published rates are not mandatory; a landlord and tenant remain free to agree on any figure, and the TAL's calculation applies only once a dispute reaches adjudication.

Rent increase rules by province and territory (2026)

Frequently asked questions

Disclaimer

This page is general legal information about rent increase rules across Canada, verified against provincial and territorial government sources as of 19 July 2026. It is not legal advice, and caps, guidelines, and notice requirements change annually and can vary by unit type, building age, or tenancy history. For your specific situation, contact your province or territory's residential tenancy office, or a lawyer or tenant advocacy organization.

See also our Canada tenant rights hub, how eviction notices work across the country, our guide to Ontario tenant rights, and the wider Canadian law by province hub.