Government of British Columbia
B.C. Residential Tenancy Branch
The Residential Tenancy Branch administers B.C. tenancy law, takes dispute-resolution applications, and has published a 2027 maximum rent increase of 2.2%.
Last checked October 19, 2026
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
CMHC landlord and tenant responsibilities
CMHC states the basic split: landlords keep the place habitable and cannot harass you, and tenants pay rent and repair damage they cause. Eviction still has to follow the provincial process.
- Last checked
- October 19, 2026
- Source
- CMHC, landlord and tenant responsibilities
- Audience
- Permanent residents, Temporary workers, International students, Refugees and protected persons
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What we could verify
- Landlords must keep the home in good repair and fit to live in, at their expense, and must meet health, safety, and maintenance standards.
- They must supply fuel, electricity, and hot and cold water unless you agreed to pay for those services yourself.
- A landlord cannot seize your belongings for unpaid rent without a legal process, and cannot harass or threaten you.
- Tenants pay rent on time, keep the place clean, and allow entry when proper notice is given.
- CMHC says a landlord cannot lock you out for unpaid rent. They have to follow the eviction process in your province or territory.
CMHC is the national housing agency. Its renter pages are a plain statement of responsibilities, useful when a listing or a roommate agreement contradicts them. They are not a substitute for the Residential Tenancy Branch in B.C. or the Landlord and Tenant Board in Ontario, which are the offices that actually hear disputes.
On evictions, CMHC says that if you dispute the reasons you do not have to leave until the local authority orders it, and that you keep paying rent until you leave. It also says that if an eviction notice is about unpaid rent, paying the full amount owing can cancel that notice. Confirm that last point with your provincial authority. It is not identical everywhere, and the CMHC page is a national summary.
Who it is for
Renters and landlords in Canada. Social housing and school residences can sit under different rules. Ask the provincial authority if you are not sure the law applies to your unit.
How to act on it
Read the responsibilities page, then the complaints and evictions page, and contact the rental authority CMHC points you to for your province.
Also in housing
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Renting a home as a newcomer
IRCC's renting guide explains leases, deposits, landlord entry, and what to check before you move in. The enforceable rules still come from the province or territory.
Last checked October 19, 2026
Government of Ontario
Renting in Ontario: your rights
Ontario's rental page sets out the rent-increase guideline, the standard lease, and the rule that a landlord needs an order from the Landlord and Tenant Board before you have to move out.
Last checked October 19, 2026