Residential Tenancy Agreement Template (Canada)

What a residential tenancy agreement needs to cover

At a minimum: the parties, the property address, the term (fixed-term or month-to-month), the rent amount and due date, the deposit amount and interest treatment, who pays which utilities, and each party's maintenance responsibilities. Beyond that baseline, provinces differ sharply in what they additionally require — deposit caps, interest obligations, and specific disclosure duties all vary by province.

This is the single biggest reason a generic downloaded tenancy agreement goes wrong: it either omits something a province requires, or it includes language that doesn't apply anywhere and just looks unprofessional.

A deposit that earns interest — not every province's rule, but a real one

In Ontario, for example, the only deposit a landlord may collect is a rent deposit applied to the last month's rent, capped at one month's rent, and the landlord must pay the tenant annual interest on it, generally at the same rate as the province's rent-increase guideline. Other provinces set their own deposit caps and interest rules, and some don't require interest at all. This template includes an interest-bearing deposit clause you can adapt to match your own province's rule, rather than treating the deposit as a simple sum the landlord just holds.

Give notice before you enter — don't just show up

A widely circulated free lease commonly used as a "basic" or "simple" rental agreement skips landlord entry entirely — no notice requirement, no permitted purpose, no time-of-day limit. In Ontario, a landlord must generally give at least 24 hours' written notice stating the reason and time of entry, and may only enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., with an exception for genuine emergencies. Other provinces set their own notice periods. This template includes a right-of-entry clause with a notice-period field you set to match your province's rule, rather than leaving landlord access unaddressed.

The clauses, explained

Parties and property

Full legal names of landlord and tenant and the complete property address, including unit number if applicable.

Term

Fixed-term tenancies end on a stated date; month-to-month tenancies continue until either party gives the required notice. State the type clearly — this affects how and when either side can end the tenancy.

Rent and payment

The rent amount, due date and accepted payment methods.

Deposit and interest

The deposit amount and a requirement to pay interest on it where your province requires, rather than the landlord simply holding it interest-free.

Right of entry

Requires the landlord to give the stated number of hours' or days' notice, and state the purpose, before entering, except in a genuine emergency. Set the notice period and permitted hours to match your province's rule.

Utilities and maintenance

States who pays for which utility and who is responsible for routine maintenance versus structural repairs.

Pets

Optional clause recording whether pets are permitted and any restrictions.

Governing law

The province whose law governs the tenancy — normally the province where the property is located.

Requirements checklist

These vary by province — check your own province's residential tenancies legislation before finalising the agreement.

• Cap the deposit and pay interest where required

  In Ontario, the only permitted deposit is a rent deposit applied to the last month's rent, capped at one month's rent, and the landlord must pay annual interest on it, generally at the province's rent-increase guideline rate; other provinces set their own caps and interest rules.

  Tribunals Ontario — Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act

• Give proper written notice before entering

  In Ontario, a landlord must generally give at least 24 hours' written notice stating the reason and time of entry, and may only enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.; other provinces set their own periods and hours.

• Check your province's specific tenancy legislation

  Each province and territory has its own Residential Tenancies Act (or equivalent) with its own rules on rent increases, notice to terminate, and maintenance standards — confirm your specific province's requirement before the tenancy begins.

How to use this template

1. Fill in the parties and property. Tap the highlighted blanks and type the landlord's and tenant's names and the full property address.
2. Set the term, rent and deposit. Choose fixed-term or month-to-month in the document, then fill in the rent amount and due date, and the deposit amount.
3. Set the deposit interest rate. Enter the interest rate your province requires on the deposit, if any.
4. Set your province's entry-notice period. Enter the notice period and permitted entry hours your province requires.
5. Add any optional clauses. The pets clause sits in the agreement with its own Add control — add it if relevant and fill in any restriction.
6. Sign, download and check your province's rules. Sign on the signature line — the tenant can sign on the same screen — then download the agreement as a Word or PDF file and check your province's specific deposit, interest and notice requirements before signing.

Frequently asked questions