Loading this page…

By-law comparison · 9 Ontario municipalities

Ontario renoviction by-laws: rental renovation licences compared

A growing number of Ontario cities make a landlord who gives an N13 for renovations get a city licence as well, and some add rent-gap and moving payments for the tenant. Here is each by-law side by side, read on the municipality’s own pages on October 26, 2026.

Municipalities: 9
In force: 7
Download: CSV

Download the table (.csv)See the table

What the by-laws share

Four readings

Nine Ontario municipalities have by-laws that license renovations a tenant must move out for: three since 2025 (Hamilton, London and Toronto), four from 2026 (Waterloo, Mississauga, Chatham-Kent and Guelph) and two from January 1, 2027 (Kitchener and Ottawa).
Every one gives the landlord seven days from serving the N13 to apply, and the licence comes on top of the Residential Tenancies Act's 120-day notice, compensation and right to return.
Five require temporary housing or rent-gap payments for a tenant who will move back: Hamilton, Toronto, Waterloo, Mississauga and Chatham-Kent. Five set a moving payment: Hamilton $1,500 or $2,500, Toronto $1,500 or $2,500, Waterloo $1,000, Mississauga $1,000 or $1,500, Chatham-Kent $1,500 or $2,500.
Two publish a per-unit fee on the licence page: London, $600 a unit; Toronto, $728 a unit. The others set the fee in a separate fees by-law or do not list it.

The comparison

Renovation licences by municipality

In order of the date each licence starts to apply. Each name leads to the full detail below, with the municipality’s own page linked.

Ontario municipal rental renovation licences: start date, deadline to apply, fee, payments for a returning tenant and moving payments
Municipality	Licence for N13s from	Apply within	Fee per unit	Rent gap or temporary housing	Moving payment
HamiltonCity of Hamilton	January 1, 2025In force	7 days	Not listed	Required	$1,500 or $2,500or insured movers
LondonCity of London	March 1, 2025In force	7 days	$600	Not listed	Not listed
TorontoCity of Toronto	July 31, 2025In force	7 days	$728	Required	$1,500 or $2,500
WaterlooCity of Waterloo	July 1, 2026In force	7 days	Not listed	Required	$1,000
MississaugaCity of Mississauga	September 1, 2026In force	7 days	Not listed	Required	$1,000 or $1,500
Chatham-KentMunicipality of Chatham-Kent	October 1, 2026In force	7 days	Not listed	Required	$1,500 or $2,500or insured movers
GuelphCity of Guelph	October 2026In force	7 days	Not listed	None in the by-law	None in the by-law
KitchenerCity of Kitchener	January 1, 2027Not yet in force	7 days	Not listed	Not listed	Not listed
OttawaCity of Ottawa	January 1, 2027Not yet in force	7 days	Not listed	None in the by-law	None in the by-law

“Not listed” means the municipality’s pages we read do not state it; a fee is usually set in a separate fees by-law. “None in the by-law“None beyond the Act” means the municipality says its by-law adds nothing to the Residential Tenancies Act’s compensation.rdquo; means the municipality says, or its summary of the by-law shows, that it adds no payment to the Residential Tenancies Act’s compensation. Read on October 26, 2026; by-laws change, so check the municipality’s page before you give an N13.

Each by-law

What each municipality requires

City of Hamilton

Hamilton

Renovation Licence and Relocation By-law 24-055

In force since January 1, 2025

When it applies: An N13 for extensive repairs or renovations that the tenant must move out for
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. Copies of the N13s, a building permit, a qualified person's letter from an engineer or architect, and an attestation form for each unit. Every tenant first gets the City's Tenant Rights and Entitlement Package.
Fee: Paid with the application; the amount is not listed on the City's page
If the tenant moves back: Comparable temporary housing, or monthly rent-gap payments based on CMHC's average market rent for Hamilton buildings built in 2015 or later
Moving costs: An insured moving company, or $1,500 for a bachelor or one-bedroom unit and $2,500 for two or more bedrooms
Licence term: Renewed if the work takes longer than a year
Also: If the landlord and tenant cannot agree on temporary arrangements, the landlord must tell the City and may ask for an exemption. Licensed hotels, lodging homes, short-term rentals and care homes are exempt.

City of London

London

Rental Unit Repair Licence, Schedule 23 of the Business Licensing By-law

In force since March 1, 2025

When it applies: An N13 for repairs or renovations that need a building permit and a vacant unit
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. The building permit must be in hand before the N13 is issued, and the tenant gets the City's Tenant Information Package.
Fee: $600 per unit
If the tenant moves back: The City's page names the tenant's right to move back at the same rent; it lists no rent-gap payment
Moving costs: Not stated on the City's pages we read
Licence term: Six months

City of Toronto

Toronto

Rental Renovation Licence By-law

In force since July 31, 2025

When it applies: An N13 for repairs or renovations that need the tenant to move out; not demolitions
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. The building permit and any other permits, and a form from a licensed architect or engineer confirming the unit must be vacant.
Fee: $728 per unit (from January 1, 2026)
If the tenant moves back: Comparable temporary housing at a similar rent, or monthly rent-gap payments based on CMHC average rents for units built since 2015
Moving costs: $1,500 for a studio or one-bedroom unit, $2,500 for two or more bedrooms
Licence term: 12 months
Also: A tenant who does not return gets a lump sum of three months of rent-gap payments. Work that changes the number of units or bedrooms can count as demolition, which follows the City's rental housing demolition and replacement process instead.

City of Waterloo

Waterloo

Rental Housing Renovation Licence By-law 2026-012

In force since July 1, 2026

When it applies: An N13 given on or after July 1, 2026
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. The seven days are calendar days, counted from delivering the N13, and the application carries the fee set in the City's fees and charges by-law.
Fee: Set in the City's fees and charges by-law
If the tenant moves back: Monthly payments of the difference between the current rent and the latest average market rent for a comparable unit, for the whole renovation, or comparable housing the tenant agrees to
Moving costs: $1,000 once, shared equally among the tenants, by the N13's termination date or the move-out, whichever is first
Also: On-campus student housing, units run by the City or the Region, group homes and some licensed or regulated homes are exempt.

City of Mississauga

Mississauga

Rental Repairs and Renovations Licensing By-law 0039-2026

In force since September 1, 2026

When it applies: Every rental unit served an N13 on or after September 1, 2026
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. A separate licence for each unit, and no work until it is issued. The landlord posts a notice of the application and gives the tenant the City's information package.
Fee: Set in the City's fees and charges by-law
If the tenant moves back: A monthly top-up of CMHC's average market rent less the current rent, once the Act's compensation period ends, when the temporary unit costs more than the current rent
Moving costs: $1,000 for a unit of 70 m² or less, $1,500 for a larger one, paid at least 15 days before the tenant moves out

Municipality of Chatham-Kent

Chatham-Kent

Rental Renovation Licence By-law 68-2026

In force since October 1, 2026

When it applies: An N13 issued on or after October 1, 2026, for work that needs the unit vacant; not demolitions
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. A qualified person's report confirming the unit must be vacant, the N13 and the building permit. Every tenant first gets the Municipality's Tenant Rights and Entitlements Package.
Fee: Set in the Municipality's user fee by-law
If the tenant moves back: Comparable temporary housing, or monthly payments of the difference between the current rent and CMHC's average market rent for a unit built in the last 10 years (for three bedrooms or more, the two-bedroom figure plus 15%)
Moving costs: An insured moving company, or $1,500 for a bachelor or one-bedroom unit and $2,500 for two or more bedrooms
Also: The arrangements are due within 120 days of the N13, and the tenant returns at no more than the rent the landlord could lawfully have charged without the interruption.

City of Guelph

Guelph

Rental Renovation Licencing By-law (2026)-21274

In force since October 2026

When it applies: An N13 for repairs or renovations that need a building permit and the tenant to move out; not demolition or conversion
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. The building permit and a qualified person's report before the N13, the City's information package at or before the N13, and a notice of the application on the unit's door within seven days of applying. One licence per unit.
Fee: Paid with the application; the amount is not listed on the City's page
If the tenant moves back: None beyond the Residential Tenancies Act's compensation, the City says
Moving costs: None beyond the Act, the City says
Licence term: 12 months
Also: Council adopted the by-law on June 23, 2026, and the City opened licensing in October 2026. On-campus housing, City-run housing, hotels, licensed short-term rentals and care homes are exempt.

City of Kitchener

Kitchener

Rental Renovation Licensing By-law 2026-045 (Chapter 595)

Applies from January 1, 2027

When it applies: An N13 served on or after January 1, 2027, for work that needs the tenant to leave
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. The seven days are calendar days. The tenant gets the City's Tenant Information Package with the N13, and a notice of the application goes on the unit's door within five days. One licence per unit.
Fee: Set by Council's fee structure; not listed on the City's pages we read
If the tenant moves back: Not stated on the City's pages we read
Moving costs: Not stated on the City's pages we read
Also: Council approved the by-law on April 13, 2026.

City of Ottawa

Ottawa

Rental Renovation Licence By-law

Applies from January 1, 2027

When it applies: An N13 for renovations or repairs
Applying: Within 7 days of serving the N13. A building permit before the N13, the City's eviction education guide with it, and an application with the tenancy details, the scope of work, a copy of the N13 and the permit number.
Fee: Not stated on the City's pages we read
If the tenant moves back: None in the City's summary of the by-law; Council asked staff to consider requiring temporary housing in a later review
Moving costs: None in the City's summary
Also: Council approved the by-law on July 15, 2026.

City of Ottawa: Rental Renovation Licence By-law review

Everywhere in Ontario

The province’s rules come first

A city licence adds to the Residential Tenancies Act; it does not replace it. In every municipality an N13 for renovations needs at least 120 days’ notice, the compensation the Act sets by building size, and the tenant keeps the right to move back if they say so in writing before they leave. Our N13 guide sets out each rule with the sections of the Act.

Planning work on a rented unit?

Talk to us about your property.

For the owners we manage for, Tenant.ca plans the timeline around the 120-day notice and the city licence, prepares the notice on the Board’s form and keeps the tenant informed. Whether to renovate is always your decision.

Read the N13 guide

Ontario rental market by city

Ontario renoviction by-laws: rental renovation licences compared

Municipalities

In force

Download

CSV

Municipality

Licence for N13s from

Apply within

Fee per unit

Rent gap or temporary housing

Moving payment

HamiltonCity of Hamilton

January 1, 2025In force

7 days

Not listed

Required

$1,500 or $2,500or insured movers

LondonCity of London

March 1, 2025In force

7 days

$600

Not listed

TorontoCity of Toronto

July 31, 2025In force

7 days

$728

Required

$1,500 or $2,500

WaterlooCity of Waterloo

July 1, 2026In force

7 days

Not listed

Required

$1,000

MississaugaCity of Mississauga

September 1, 2026In force

7 days

Not listed

Required

$1,000 or $1,500

Chatham-KentMunicipality of Chatham-Kent

October 1, 2026In force

7 days

Not listed

Required

$1,500 or $2,500or insured movers

GuelphCity of Guelph

October 2026In force

7 days

Not listed

None in the by-law

KitchenerCity of Kitchener

January 1, 2027Not yet in force

7 days

Not listed

OttawaCity of Ottawa

January 1, 2027Not yet in force

7 days

Not listed

None in the by-law

The province’s rules come first