Residential lease agreements by province
A residential lease is governed by provincial law, and the rules differ in ways that matter, from whether a standard form is mandatory to how large a deposit a landlord can ask for. Each guide explains the province's rules in plain English and links to the official government form. We don't host or alter the forms.
Ontario
Standard Form of Lease (2229E) is mandatory for most tenancies.
Read the guideNo mandatory formBritish Columbia
RTB-1 form carries the standard terms required of every tenancy.
Read the guideNo mandatory formAlberta
No mandatory form, but the RTA applies to every tenancy.
Read the guideStandard form requiredQuebec
The TAL lease form is mandatory; deposits are prohibited.
Read the guideStandard form requiredManitoba
The Standard Residential Tenancy Agreement (Form 1) is required.
Read the guideNo mandatory formSaskatchewan
Standard conditions (Schedule 1) apply to every agreement.
Read the guideStandard form requiredNova Scotia
The Standard Form of Lease (Form P) is the only recognized lease.
Read the guideStandard form requiredNew Brunswick
Standard Residential Lease; deposits held by the Rentalsman.
Read the guideStandard form requiredPrince Edward Island
Standard form of tenancy agreement; its provisions apply regardless.
Read the guideNo mandatory formNewfoundland and Labrador
RT-1 agreement encouraged; deposit capped at three-quarters of a month.
Read the guideMore provinces are on the way. In the meantime, every province's tenancy authority publishes its own guidance and forms.
What every lease should cover
Wherever you rent, a complete written lease records the same essentials: the legal names of the landlord and tenant, the rental address, the rent and when it is due, what is included, the term, and the deposit. What changes by province is the legal frame around those details, including whether a government form is required and what a lease is not allowed to do. No lease, anywhere in Canada, can sign away a right the governing tenancy law gives you.
Planning the numbers around a new tenancy? See the rent increase rules by province and our free rent tools, including a rent receipt generator and deposit interest calculator.
General information only, not legal advice. Tenancy law differs by province and changes over time. Always confirm the current rules and forms with the official provincial source.