Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
Not in the way most people think. In Ontario, when a fixed-term lease ends, the tenancy automatically continues month to month on the same terms. A landlord’s refusal to sign a new lease does not end it. To make a tenant leave, the landlord needs a reason the Residential Tenancies Act allows, the right LTB notice and, if the tenant stays, an LTB order.
This guide is for Ontario tenants whose landlord says the lease will not be renewed, and for landlords who assume a lease end means the unit comes back to them. You will get the rule from the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA), the reasons that can actually end a tenancy at the end of a term, the notice each one needs, and what to do if you hear “your lease is up”. It is general information as of November 2026. Confirm your own case with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), a licensed paralegal or a lawyer.
Can a landlord refuse to renew a lease in Ontario?
A landlord can refuse to sign a new lease, but that refusal does not end the tenancy. Section 37 of the RTA says a tenancy can be ended only in accordance with the Act. Section 38 says that when a fixed-term lease ends and nobody has renewed or lawfully ended it, the landlord and tenant are deemed to have renewed it as a monthly tenancy, on the same terms.
The LTB puts it plainly in its brochure on ending a tenancy: the end of a lease does not mean the tenant has to move out, or sign a renewal or a new lease, to stay. The Ontario government’s guide to the standard lease says the same thing, and so does the City of Toronto’s renter page.
So “not renewing” is really two different things. Declining to sign another one-year lease is allowed. Requiring the tenant to leave because the term is over is not.
What happens when a one-year lease ends in Ontario?
Nothing dramatic. On the day after the term ends, the tenant becomes a month-to-month tenant. All the old terms carry on, including the rent, what is included, and the rules in the lease. Neither side has to sign anything.
A few practical points follow from that:
- Rent stays the same until the landlord gives a lawful increase. That means at least 90 days’ written notice on the LTB form, at least 12 months since the last increase, and the guideline cap for most units. The 2027 guideline is 1.9 per cent.
- The tenant can still leave. A monthly tenant gives at least 60 days’ written notice, ending on the last day of a rental period, under section 44.
- The landlord’s reasons to end it do not change. They are the same as during the lease, with the same forms.
This rule is stable. Section 38 has never been amended, and despite news coverage in 2025 about possible changes, it reads the same as of November 2026. My post on fixed-term leases and the month-to-month rule explains what was proposed and dropped.
Can a landlord make you sign a new lease or move out?
No. The LTB says the landlord and tenant can agree to another fixed term or a new lease, but if they do, the terms can only change as the Act allows. A landlord cannot use a “renewal” to push rent past the rules.
A landlord also cannot build a move-out date into the lease. Under section 37, a tenant’s notice to end the tenancy, or an agreement to end it, is void if it was given when the lease was signed or as a condition of getting the unit. The LTB brochure notes that student housing and care homes have limited exceptions.
Any lease term that conflicts with the RTA is void under section 4. A clause saying “tenant must vacate at the end of the term” does not override section 38.
What does not count as a reason to end a tenancy?
Many reasons landlords give are not allowed at all. The City of Toronto’s eviction page says having noisy children, asking for repairs, joining a tenant group, having a pet, or the landlord deciding to sell are not grounds for eviction. Also not on the list:
- the lease term ending, by itself;
- wanting to re-rent at a higher market rent;
- a tenant refusing to sign a new lease or a higher rent than the rules allow.
Retaliation is also blocked at the hearing. Section 83 says the LTB must refuse an eviction if the real reason is that the tenant complained to a government authority about health, safety or maintenance standards, tried to enforce their legal rights, or is in a tenants’ association.
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What reasons can end a tenancy at the end of the lease?
Only reasons listed in the RTA, on the correct LTB form. These are the ones most often timed to the end of a term:
| Reason | LTB form | Minimum notice | Money owed to tenant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landlord or close family moving in | N12 | 60 days, ending on the last day of a period or term | One month’s rent or another acceptable unit; not required if the N12 is given on or after Sept 21, 2026 with at least 120 days’ notice |
| Buyer or buyer’s family moving in (3 or fewer units, or a condo unit) | N12 | 60 days, ending on the last day of a period or term | One month’s rent or another acceptable unit |
| Major repairs needing a permit and an empty unit; demolition; conversion | N13 | 120 days, ending on the last day of a period or term | One month’s rent (under 5 units) or up to three months’ rent (5 or more units), or another acceptable unit |
| Persistent late payment of rent | N8 | 60 days for a monthly tenancy, ending on the last day of a period or term | None |
| Employment that came with the unit has ended; tenant no longer qualifies for subsidized housing | N8 | 60 days for a monthly tenancy | None |
Source: Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, ss. 44, 48, 48.1, 49, 49.1, 50, 52, 54 and 58; LTB brochure “How a Landlord Can End a Tenancy”, updated for September 21, 2026. Daily and weekly tenancies use 28 days for N8.
Two of these changed on September 21, 2026. For an N12 for the landlord’s own use, the one month’s rent is no longer required if the notice is given on or after that date, the termination date is at least 120 days away, and it falls at the end of a period or term. That exemption does not apply to a buyer’s N12. And Regulation 516/06 now says persistent late payment includes paying more than seven days late at least three times in six months. My post on the N12 120-day option works through the numbers.
An N12 also has conditions. Section 48 requires the landlord to be an individual who owns the unit in whole or part, and to want it in good faith for at least one year of living there.
Can a landlord end the lease because they are selling?
Not just because of a sale. A sale passes the tenancy to the buyer. The only sale-related route is an N12 given on behalf of a buyer, and only when the building has three or fewer residential units, or the unit is a condo, and the landlord has a signed agreement of purchase and sale with a buyer who in good faith needs the unit for their own or close family’s use. The tenant still gets one month’s rent or another acceptable unit.
If your landlord is listing the property, my guide on what tenants must allow when a landlord sells covers showings and timelines.
When does a tenancy really end at the end of the term?
There are a few cases where it can:
- The tenant chooses to leave. A tenant on a fixed term gives at least 60 days’ written notice before the end date, usually on Form N9.
- Both sides agree. A signed N11 agreement ends the tenancy on the agreed date.
- The RTA does not apply. Section 5 exempts some housing, such as a room where you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner who lives there, and seasonal or temporary units.
- Certain student housing. Section 37 lets some college and university residences, and buildings rented only to students under an agreement with a school, use move-out agreements signed at the start that would be void elsewhere.
An N11 is binding once you sign it. The LTB explains that if a tenant agrees to leave and then stays, the landlord can apply without notice, and an eviction order is usually issued without a hearing. The tenant then has only 10 days after the order is issued to file a motion to set it aside. Do not sign an N11 just because the lease is ending. If you are offered money to move, read my guide to N11 agreements and cash for keys first.
What should a tenant do if told “your lease is up”?
Stay calm and check what you actually received.
- A text, email or letter saying the lease will not be renewed is not a legal notice. The City of Toronto says informal notices are generally not legal eviction notices.
- An LTB form such as an N12 or N13 is a notice, not an order. You do not have to move by the date on it. If you stay, the landlord must apply to the LTB, and you can attend the hearing.
- A new lease to sign is optional. Read it closely, especially any rent change.
Keep paying your rent in full and on time. That protects you more than anything else.
I advise small landlords across Toronto and the GTA, and I often hear “the lease ends in June, so I get the unit back”. That plan fails at the LTB. If you truly need the unit for yourself or family, give a proper N12, and consider the 120-day timing now that it can save you a month’s rent. If you just want a fresh tenant at a higher rent, Ontario law does not give you that option. For tenants, month to month is not a weaker position. It carries the same protection as the lease did.
What to do next
- Find your lease end date and confirm whether you are now month to month.
- If you received anything about leaving, check whether it is an LTB form and which reason it uses.
- Landlords: match your real reason to the right form and notice period before serving anything.
- Do not sign an N11 or a new lease under pressure. Get advice first.
- Confirm your own case with the LTB, a community legal clinic or a licensed paralegal.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Can a landlord not renew a lease in Ontario?
A landlord can decline to sign a new lease, but that does not end the tenancy. Under section 38 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, a fixed-term lease that ends without being renewed or lawfully ended becomes a month-to-month tenancy on the same terms. As of 2026, the landlord needs a reason allowed by the Act and the correct LTB notice to end it.
Do I have to sign a new lease when mine expires in Ontario?
No. In Ontario the Landlord and Tenant Board says a tenant does not have to sign a renewal or a new lease to stay when a lease ends. The tenancy continues month to month with the same terms. If you do sign a new lease, any rent change must still follow the Residential Tenancies Act’s increase rules. This is the rule as of November 2026.
How much notice does a landlord need to give at the end of a lease in Ontario?
It depends on the reason. For an N12, where the landlord or a buyer needs the unit, it is at least 60 days, ending on the last day of a rental period or the lease term. For an N13 for major repairs, demolition or conversion, it is at least 120 days. The end of the lease alone is not a reason in Ontario. That is the position in Ontario as of November 2026.
Can a landlord end a lease to rent to someone else for more money?
No. Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act does not let a landlord end a tenancy to re-rent at a higher price. The landlord must have a reason the Act lists, such as their own use, a qualifying buyer, major repairs or persistent late payment. Re-renting after a no-fault notice can be evidence of bad faith, which tenants can raise with the LTB. These rules are current as of November 2026.
Is a month-to-month tenant in Ontario easier to evict?
No. In Ontario a month-to-month tenant has the same security of tenure as a tenant on a lease. The landlord still needs a reason allowed by the Residential Tenancies Act, the correct LTB notice, and an LTB order if the tenant stays. The only real difference is that a monthly tenant can leave on 60 days’ notice ending at the end of any month. This reflects Ontario law as of November 2026.
Can my landlord end my tenancy because they are selling the house?
Not just because of a sale. In Ontario a buyer takes over the tenancy. A landlord can give an N12 on a buyer’s behalf only if the building has three or fewer units or the unit is a condo, there is a signed purchase agreement, and the buyer or close family will move in. The tenant gets one month’s rent or another acceptable unit. This is the rule as of November 2026.
Is a lease clause saying I must move out at the end of the term valid in Ontario?
No. Section 4 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act voids any lease term that conflicts with the Act, and section 37 voids an agreement to end a tenancy that was made when the lease was signed or as a condition of renting. Limited exceptions exist for certain student housing and care homes. Otherwise, the tenancy continues month to month. That is the position in Ontario as of November 2026.
What changed for N12 notices on September 21, 2026?
The compensation rule changed, not the notice period. From September 21, 2026, an Ontario landlord giving an N12 for their own or family use does not owe one month’s rent if the notice gives at least 120 days and ends on the last day of a period or term. The minimum notice is still 60 days, and a buyer’s N12 still requires compensation.
How much notice does a tenant give to leave at the end of a lease in Ontario?
At least 60 days. Under section 44 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, a tenant on a fixed-term lease must give written notice at least 60 days before the end date, effective on that date. A monthly tenant gives 60 days ending on the last day of a month. The LTB’s form for this is the N9. These rules are current as of November 2026.
Sources
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (e-Laws, consolidated from September 21, 2026)
- LTB brochure: How a Landlord Can End a Tenancy
- Government of Ontario: Guide to Ontario’s standard lease
- O. Reg. 516/06 under the Residential Tenancies Act
- City of Toronto: Renter Rights & Landlord Information
- City of Toronto: Understand & Prevent Evictions
- Government of Ontario: Residential rent increases
Related reading
- Can My Landlord Enter Without Notice in Ontario?
- Can a Landlord Evict You Without Going to the LTB in Ontario?
- Can My Landlord Raise the Rent Every Year in Ontario? 2027 Rules
- Can a Landlord Put Security Cameras in or Outside a Rental in Ontario?
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.