Facing eviction can be scary, especially if you’re a first-time renter. But don’t worry, we’re here for you. At Chexy, we want to make sure you protect yourself. We’ll break down the laws for you and discuss your rights that protect you from unfair evictions. 

Whether its about non-payment of rent or property renovations, each province in Canada has its own rules. We’ll make it easy for you to understand in this guide, so you’ll know exactly what to do if you’re served with an eviction notice. 

General Eviction Guidelines in Canada 

Although eviction laws differ in each province, here are some common rules that apply across the country:

• Your landlord must always give you a written notice of eviction, no matter the reason.

• The notice will tell you why and when the landlord wants you to move out and provide enough time for you to either move out or dispute the eviction. 

• You can either resolve the issue (i.e. pay outstanding rent or talk to your landlord) or dispute the eviction.

Typical Reasons for Eviction 

Some provinces have stricter rules and guidelines than others, but the three most common reasons a landlord can evict a tenant include:

1. You have done something wrong, like not paying rent, disturbing other tenants, or damaging the property.

2. The landlord wants to use the rental unit for themselves or their family. 

3. The landlord is selling, demolishing, converting, or renovating the property. 

Did you know that 91% of eviction applications are related to unpaid rent? It’s a common issue, but if you rent with Chexy, you don’t need to worry about this, as your rent payments are automatically sent to your landlord on the same date each month. 

What Should Be Included in Your Eviction Notice?

A landlord’s notice of eviction must be in writing and on the proper form. Though the specific requirements differ by province, they generally must include:

• The name of the tenant(s)

• The rental address

• The landlord’s signature 

• The reason for eviction 

• The amount of unpaid rent and any additional rent that has become due in the notice period 

• The date the tenant is to move out 

• A statement informing you of your right to dispute the eviction 

How to Dispute Evictions in Canada

After receiving an eviction notice, you can try to resolve it with your landlord by paying your rent, making necessary repairs, or resolving things another way. If you cannot resolve the issue with your landlord, you need to go to the appropriate office in your province or territory and file for dispute resolution. 

Each province has its own dispute resolution system, typically handled by a Residential Tenancies Office or a Landlord Tenant Board. 

Eviction Laws by Province 

Now, let’s dive into the specific eviction laws for each province, and your rights as a tenant to dispute the eviction notice. We’ve included the official link where you can find more information at the bottom of each section. 

Alberta

The most common reason a landlord will evict you is if you don’t pay your rent. Even if the landlord is not making necessary repairs or you’re having a disagreement, you cannot withhold rent. 

Depending on how “nice” your landlord is, they may let you stay and pay your rent over time if you cannot pay it for one month. However, don’t expect your landlord to do this, as they have no obligation to do so. 

Other reasons they can evict you include: 

• Damaging the rental premises

• Breaking the rental agreement terms

• Disturbing other tenants

Eviction Notices Alberta

There are three types of notices a landlord must provide if they want to evict you:

1. At least 24-hour notice: Used if there is damage to the premises or physical assault or threat to the landlord or another tenant. 

2. At least 48-hour notice and at least 14 days notice: Used if the tenant has moved out and an unauthorized occupant is living there. 

3. At least 14 days notice: Used if there is a substantial breach, meaning the tenant has not followed their responsibilities in the tenancy agreement. 

What if you disagree with the eviction? 

If you disagree with the 14-day eviction, you can give a written explanation of why and give it to the landlord before the 14 days are over. If the landlord does not agree, they can apply to the RTDRS or Court for a court order to evict you. Until they issue the order, you can remain on the premises. 

Read more about evictions and ending a tenancy in Alberta here. 

British Columbia

A landlord can only end the tenancy in specific circumstances under the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA), including damage to the property and not paying rent. 

Types of Eviction Notices BC Canada

If the landlord wants to evict you, they must serve you an eviction notice on the correct RTB eviction form.

BC has a few different types of notices to end tenancy, but we’ll focus on the ones that apply to most renters:

Ten Day Notice for Unpaid Rent or Utilities 

If you pay rent even one day late or it is short any amount, the landlord can serve you with a 10-day eviction notice. You have 5 days to apply for dispute resolution. 

You also cannot withhold utility payments, even if the landlord is not making necessary repairs. If you don’t pay your utility bill, the landlord can serve you with a 30-day written demand to pay it. If you don’t, the landlord can serve you a 10-day eviction notice. 

One Month Notice for Non-Compliance with the Tenancy Agreement or Residential Tenancy Act

If you don’t follow your responsibilities as a tenant under your tenancy agreement or the RTA, the landlord can legally evict you with a One Month Notice to End Tenancy form. Some reasons for eviction can include:

• Disturbances and safety concerns

• Failure to repair damage to the rental unit 

• Illegal activities

• Non-payment of deposits 

• Property damage 

• Occupancy violations 

Here’s a full list of reasons you could be served a one-month eviction notice. 

How to Dispute the Eviction

If you disagree with the eviction, you can dispute it during the required timelines, which are different for each type of eviction. The RTB will schedule a hearing if you dispute the notice with them, and you can remain on the premises until the hearing. 

If you do not dispute the eviction, you have until 1 pm on the day of the eviction to move out. If you remain on the property after the eviction date has passed, you are called an overholding tenant, and the landlord can take steps to remove you. 

Take a look at all types of evictions and more info on them here. 

Manitoba

There are two main reasons a landlord can evict a tenant in Manitoba: 

1. Non-payment of rent

2. Not following tenant responsibilities

Non-Payment of Rent

If you are late paying rent, the landlord can give you notice of eviction on the fifth day of a rental payment period. For example, if rent is due on the 1st of the month, they can give you notice on the 5th. 

The landlord decides how much time they want to give you to move out. Hopefully, they’ll be nice and give you enough time to pack and move out, but they are under no obligation to do so. 

When giving notice, they must use the official Form 8 - Notice of Termination by Landlord for Non-Payment of Rent. 

If you receive this notice and offer to pay the rent, the landlord can do one of two things:

• Take the rent and allow you to stay; or

• Take the rent and inform you immediately that the tenancy is terminated and you must move out due to continuous late rent payments (meaning you’ve paid your rent late more than three times during a year)

If you don’t pay the rent and don’t move out, the landlord can apply for an Order of Possession. 

More info on evictions for non-payment of rent here. 

Not Meeting Tenant Obligations

Your landlord can evict you if you don’t meet your obligations as outlined in the tenancy agreement or the Residential Tenancies Act. But before they can do this, they must give you a written warning or a chance to correct the problem. 

For example, if they believe you have damaged the rental unit, they must tell you to repair it and give you reasonable time to do the repair. 

If you don’t correct the problem, the landlord can give you notice of at least one month rental payment period, using Form 10. 

If the landlord gives you notice to move out before the end of the rental period, they must return any unused rent to you. If they don’t, you can file a claim with the RTA. 

Here’s more info on evictions for cause. 

If you receive either type of eviction notice and disagree with it, you can begin the dispute process by contacting the RTB as soon as possible. 

New Brunswick

When a landlord wants to evict a tenant in New Brunswick, they must apply for an Eviction Order through the Tenant and Landlord Office. If approved, only a Residential Tenancies Officer or a Judge of the Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick has the authority to evict you from the rental property.

Reasons for Eviction 

The landlord can evict you for these reasons:

• You received a Notice of Termination and did not move out by the date in the notice

• You did not pay rent and did not move out by the date in the notice

• You received a Notice to Quit and did not move out by the date in the notice 

• A fixed-term lease has ended, you did not renew it, and you did not move out 

What’s a Notice of Termination?

A written notice where either the landlord or tenant decides to terminate the lease agreement for whatever reason. 

What happens if you don’t pay rent?

Notice to Vacate

If you don’t pay your rent, the landlord can serve you with a Notice to Vacate form, which shows the amount of rent owing. You have 7 days to pay the rent from receiving this notice.

If you don’t pay within 7 days, you must move out by the date your landlord wrote on the form. 

Final Notice to Vacate

If you still don’t pay your rent after receiving a Notice to Vacate, the landlord can serve you a Final Notice to Vacate form. You have at least 15 days to move out. 

How Evictions Work in New Brunswick 

The eviction process in NB is a bit different from other provinces. Here are the three steps a landlord must take:

1. The landlord applies for an eviction by completing a Landlord Application for Assistance to the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office. 

2. A member of the Office will contact the tenant and allow them to provide evidence if they disagree with the eviction. 

3. An officer will investigate and decide whether an eviction will happen. 

Read more about evictions in NB here. 

Photo by Allan Vega on Unsplash 

Newfoundland and Labrador

A landlord may terminate the tenancy early for these reasons:

Non-payment of rent

If rent is late for five days or more, the landlord can issue a termination notice saying you must move out not less than 10 days after the notice is served. If you pay all the rent plus any late fees, the eviction is void. 

Material breach of the rental agreement

This means breaking the rules and not following your responsibilities as a tenant in the lease agreement. For example, you may breach the rental agreement by bringing pets into a “no pet” condition. 

If you commit a breach, the landlord must give you written notice of the breach, plus a reasonable time for you to comply. If you don’t, you’ll need to move out not less than one month before the end of the rental period. 

Failure to keep the premises clean or repair damage 

If you do not keep the rental unit clean or repair any necessary damage within three days of the landlord finding out, the landlord can issue a termination notice requiring you to move out within five days. 

Interference with peaceful enjoyment and reasonable privacy 

If you are causing ongoing interference with the landlord or property, the landlord can give you notice to move out of not less than five days from then. 

Uninhabitable premises 

If something happens like the utilities become damaged or there is a flood and it’s your fault, the landlord can evict you and require you to leave immediately. 

Read more about evictions for cause in N&L. 

Northwest Territories

If the tenancy has ended but you have not moved out, the landlord can apply for an eviction order from a rental officer, who will hold a hearing with you and the landlord to determine if an eviction is necessary. 

If an eviction order is issued, the landlord has six months to file it with the Clerk of the Supreme Court if they want the eviction to proceed. 

Learn more about the eviction process here.  

Nova Scotia

A landlord can end a tenancy in a few ways in Nova Scotia:

Rental Arrears 

If you are more than 15 days late paying your rent, the landlord can serve you with Form D: Landlord’s Notice to Quit for Rental Arrears. If the rent is due on the 1st, the landlord can serve you this form on the 17th. 

You have 15 days to either:

• Pay your rent in full

• Leave the premises by the effective date (but still pay the rent)

• Dispute the notice 

Breach of Statutory Conditions

If you have not complied with a statutory condition or part of the Residential Tenancies Act, the landlord can serve you with an eviction notice giving you 15 days to move out. Reasons for this eviction can include:

• Failure to meet conditions in the lease

• Behaviour issues 

• Failure to meet municipal by-laws 

The landlord can also serve you with an eviction notice if they want a new owner to occupy the premises or if there are any additional circumstances. 

Read more about eviction notices and laws in Nova Scotia here. 

Nunavut

Reasons for eviction in Nunavut can include:

• Repeated non-payment of rent

• You did not provide a security deposit

• You caused damage to the property 

• You disturb other tenants or the landlord 

The landlord can also serve an eviction notice if they or a family member wants to move into the property. The landlord can end the tenancy within 90 days or when the lease agreement ends, whichever comes sooner. 

If the landlord wants to evict you, they must give you an eviction notice with this form. You have ten days to move out or make an Application to a Rental Officer. 

Ontario

There are many different reasons a landlord can give you an eviction notice in Ontario, Canada, which you can read about here. Each has a different notice form, minimum notice period, and application form. 

If the landlord wants to evict you and you don’t agree with it, you can visit Navigate Tribunals Ontario which will provide you with options to resolve your dispute. 

Some of the most common reasons for evicting a tenant in Ontario and how long you have to move out include:

Non-Payment of Rent 

If you do not pay your rent, the landlord can serve you with Form N4 – Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non- payment of Rent. If you have a daily or weekly tenancy, you have 7 days to move out. If you rent on a month-to-month basis, you have 14 days to move out. 

If you pay all the rent owed plus any new rent that has come due before the landlord applies to the LTB, you can void the notice and stay in the rental unit. 

Damage to the Property 

If you have caused damage to the rental unit or complex, the landlord can give you 20 days’ notice and serve you with Form N5 – Notice to Terminate a Tenancy Early. You can void this notice and stay in the rental unit if you pay the costs for repair or repair it yourself within 7 days. 

You can find info about every other situation related to the eviction process in Ontario, plus how to stop an eviction order in Ontario here. 

Prince Edward Island

In PEI, a landlord can only evict you for three reasons:

Non-Payment of Rent

If you do not pay your rent on time, the landlord can serve you with an eviction notice on Form 4. You have 20 days to leave the premises unless you pay your rent in full within ten days. 

If you pay it after ten days, the landlord can choose to accept the rent payment but still evict you. 

Behaviour or Damage to the Property 

If you or your guest has damaged the property or disturbed other tenants, the landlord can serve you with an eviction notice, giving you 30 days to move out. 

To dispute this, you can apply with the Rental Office within ten days of receiving the notice. 

Sale of the Property, Renovations, or Own Use 

If the landlord wants to renovate or demolish the property, have a family member move in, or convert the property into a non-residential unit, they can give you an eviction notice and expect you to move out within 60 days. 

You can dispute this by filing an application with the Rental Office within 20 days of receiving the notice. 

Keep in mind that if you miss the ten or 20-day period to dispute the eviction, you are required by law to accept the eviction notice. 

Read more about the eviction process in PEI here. 

Quebec

There are a few different reasons a landlord can evict a tenant in Quebec, but we’ll focus on the main one–non-payment of rent. 

If you don’t pay your rent in full on the agreed-upon date, you are in default as of the next day. Once this happens, the landlord can file an application with the Tribunal administratif du logement to recover the rent owed. 

If you don’t pay your rent for three weeks or more, the landlord can request the Tribunal to order you to pay your rent, and they can request an eviction. 

If you pay all the rent owed plus additional costs and interest before the Tribunal makes a decision, you can remain on the property. 

A few other reasons for eviction in Quebec include:

• Frequently paying the rent late (for eviction, the landlord must prove they have suffered serious financial hardship as a result of the late payments)

• Plans to enlarge or divide the property

• Repossession of the unit for themselves or a family member

Learn more about evictions in Quebec here. 

Saskatchewan

Like most other provinces, reasons for evictions in Saskatchewan generally fall under two categories: non-payment of rent and for cause. 

Non-payment of Rent or Utilities 

If you are 15 days late paying your rent, the landlord can serve you an Immediate Notice to Vacate and Notice of Arrears. After serving this notice, the landlord must go to the Office of Residential Tenancies and apply for possession of the unit. If the hearing is in their favour, you must move out immediately, or you can appeal it within 30 days. 

In the case of unpaid utilities, the landlord must serve you with a 15-day notice. If you do not pay it within 15 days, they can serve you the Immediate Notice to Vacate. 

Eviction for Cause

In any other case, the landlord must give you at least one month’s notice of eviction plus reasonable time to correct any issues. They must serve you the form Notice to Vacate: Cause. 

You can dispute this within 15 days and return the form to the landlord, who must apply for a hearing with the ORT. 

Learn more about evictions in Saskatchewan here. 

Yukon

If a landlord wants to evict you for non-payment of rent and you have a yearly tenancy, they must give you three months’ notice. You can dispute this with the RTO within 10 days. 

For any other reason, the landlord can give you just 14 days’ notice to end the tenancy. Reasons for cause include:

• Not paying the security deposit within 30 days

• Repeated late rent payments

• A breach in the tenancy agreement

• Refusing to repair damage 

• Engaging in illegal activities

• Giving false information to a prospective tenant 

You have 10 days after receiving the notice to apply for dispute resolution.

Here’s more info on ending a tenancy early in Yukon. 

Now you know what to do if you ever get served with an eviction notice. Simply receiving a paper from your landlord does not mean you have to move out right away–remember that you have rights as a tenant, and you can dispute evictions with your landlord-tenant board or Residential Tenancies Office.

If you’re renting an apartment in Canada, you can earn rewards on your monthly rent payments. With Chexy, you can pay your rent with your credit card and earn cashback or points you can turn into free flights, hotel stays, and more. 

Get started with Chexy today. 

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