A lease is a contract, but tenancy law sets the minimum notice and the few ways out of a fixed term. Here are the rules in Canada’s two largest rental markets.
Ontario: giving notice as a tenant
Use the Landlord and Tenant Board’s Form N9. For a monthly tenancy, give at least 60 days’ notice, with a termination date on the last day of a rental month. For a fixed-term lease, give at least 60 days’ notice before the end of the term; the date cannot be earlier than the last day of the term. Weekly or daily tenancies need 28 days. Add 5 days if you mail the notice. Source: Landlord and Tenant Board.
Ontario: leaving before the lease ends
You can agree with your landlord to end early (Form N11), or ask to assign the lease to someone else. The landlord cannot refuse an assignment arbitrarily or unreasonably. If the landlord refuses, or does not answer within seven days, you can give an N9 within 30 days of your request, with at least 30 days’ notice.
Ontario: changes from September 21, 2026
For notices given on or after September 21, 2026, the N4 notice for unpaid rent is 7 days instead of 14. A landlord who gives at least 120 days’ notice on an N12 (for the landlord’s or a family member’s own use) generally no longer pays compensation, and the person must usually move in within 60 days. New N12 and N13 forms replace the old ones, which are refused from November 30, 2026. Source: Tribunals Ontario.
British Columbia
For a month-to-month tenancy, give written notice of one month before the day rent is due: to move out by May 31 when rent is due on the 1st, give notice by April 30. A fixed-term tenancy cannot end early unless you and the landlord agree in writing, an arbitrator orders it, or a special case applies, such as family violence or moving into long-term care with one month’s notice and an RTB-49 statement. Breaking a lease otherwise can leave you owing the landlord’s losses. Source: Government of British Columbia.
Before you move
Do a move-out inspection with photos, ask for your deposit back in writing and keep rent receipts: see the rental deposits guide, the property photo report and the rent receipt generator. If you are buying next, start with the rent vs buy calculator.
Try the rent increase calculator →
Official source
Landlord and Tenant Board · How a tenant can end their tenancy
This guide explains general rules. Confirm your figures with your lender, lawyer, or the official source before you act.