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FREE GUIDE: ALL 10 PROVINCES

How to set up your first rental property in Canada

This page is the free guide. No sign-in. Read on.

First tenant moving in soon? Start here.

Becoming a landlord in Canada means navigating different rules in every province, from whether a lease form is mandatory to how (and where) you're allowed to hold a deposit. Pick your province for a step-by-step guide and a free downloadable checklist.

  1. 1

    The surprises that catch first-time landlords off guard

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    • QCQuebec: Collecting ANY deposit is illegal: no security, damage, pet, or key deposit. Every kind of deposit is prohibited. You also must use the mandatory TAL lease form.
    • NBNew Brunswick: You do NOT hold the security deposit. You must remit it to the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office within 15 days. The Office holds it and returns it at the end of the tenancy.
    • ONOntario: No security or damage deposit is allowed: only Last Month's Rent (max 1 month). You must pay annual interest on it at the rent increase guideline rate.
    • ABAlberta: Both a move-in AND a move-out inspection report are mandatory. Skip either one and you lose the right to claim damage from the deposit.
    • BCBritish Columbia: The RTB-27 Condition Inspection Report must be completed at move-in and move-out. Without it, you cannot make deposit damage claims.
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  2. 2

    Pick your province

    Lease form requirements, deposit limits, inspection obligations, and rent-control rules are different in every province.Open this section ↓

    Lease form requirements, deposit limits, inspection obligations, and rent-control rules are different in every province.

    ONOntarioBCBritish ColumbiaABAlbertaSKSaskatchewanMBManitobaQCQuebecNBNew BrunswickNSNova ScotiaPEPrince Edward IslandNLNewfoundland & Labrador
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  3. 3

    What every new landlord needs to do

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    1

    Get landlord insurance

    A rental-dwelling policy, not a homeowner policy. Standard homeowner insurance typically excludes rental income and tenant-caused damage. Get coverage before the first tenant moves in.

    2

    Use a written lease (or the mandatory form)

    Three provinces mandate a specific form: Ontario (Form 2229E), Quebec (TAL standard lease), and New Brunswick (Standard Form of Lease). For all other provinces a written lease is strongly recommended even when not required.

    3

    Do a move-in condition report

    Required by law in Alberta (both move-in and move-out). Effectively required in BC (RTB-27) because skipping it means no deposit claims. Smart everywhere else as written evidence of the unit's condition at the start of the tenancy.

    4

    Handle the deposit correctly

    Rules differ sharply by province: Quebec prohibits all deposits; Ontario allows only Last Month's Rent; New Brunswick requires you to remit the deposit to the Tribunal; other provinces set deposit maximums and interest requirements. See your province's guide.

    5

    Know the rent-increase and notice rules

    Most provinces require written notice 1–4 months before a rent increase. Several have rent-increase caps. See the cross-linked landlord-tenant guide for your province for the specific notice forms.

    6

    Check for municipal licensing

    No provincial landlord licence is required anywhere in Canada. But some municipalities require a rental or business licence. Check with your city or municipality before renting.

    7

    Keep records and give receipts

    Keep copies of: the signed lease, deposit receipt, condition report, rent payment records, and all correspondence. Ontario landlords must give rent receipts on request at no charge (RTA s.109).

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  4. 4

    Related guides

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    Landlord & Tenant Hub

    Notices, rent-increase rules, condition reports, and tribunal filing: per province.

    Eviction Guide

    Non-payment, cause, and own-use eviction steps by province.

    Change of Address

    Moving into your rental property? Update your address with CRA, health card, and every agency.

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More than one unit? The Landlord Pass

Prepare the rent increase notices on this page for every property you hold, with the dates checked against the province rule that governs each one, and an alert when one of them moves.

$16 a month or $149 a year. Single documents stay available without an account.

What the Pass does

Doing this for more than one unit? The Landlord Pass prepares notices for every unit at once on your own letterhead. It is not open yet.

Facts checked September 2026

Guidepost is not a law firm. This guide is for general information only. Full disclaimer