Can a retirement home raise its fees in Ontario?

Rent can rise once every 12 months with 90 days' written notice, under the same rules as other rentals. Charges for care services and meals have no cap on amount or frequency, but need 90 days' written notice.

How much notice do you give to leave a retirement home in Ontario?

At least 30 days' written notice, at any time. Care services and meals can be stopped with 10 days' notice.

Does the government pay for retirement homes in Ontario?

No. Retirement homes are private pay. Some costs may qualify for the medical expense tax credit, and veterans may get help through the Veterans Independence Program.

Retirement homes in Ontario

Compare all 778 licensed retirement homes near you by care offered, suite type, amenities, faith and language, and send a free enquiry to any home.

Moving into a retirement home: what to know

Retirement homes are private residences for seniors who are mostly independent but want meals, company, safety and some help with daily care. By law, a licensed retirement home offers at least two care services, such as meals or help with bathing. The province licenses and inspects them through the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA), but doesn't pay for them. Residents rent their suite and choose the care they buy.

Signs it may be time

Your parent is lonely or isolated, and days go by without seeing anyone.
Meals are being skipped, the fridge is empty, or weight is dropping.
The house, yard or stairs have become too much to manage.
Medications, bills or appointments are being missed.
Family caregivers are stretched thin, or live too far away to help often.

Talk about it early, before a crisis forces a fast decision. Frame it around what your parent wants: company, less upkeep, meals made for them, help close by. Many homes offer a short trial stay, which can make the decision easier. Not sure whether a retirement home is enough? Compare retirement home vs long-term care.

Applying

Shortlist and tour. Visit two or three homes, including at a mealtime. Ask about waitlists; you can be on several.
Care assessment. Most homes have a nurse or the Director of Care assess needs before move-in, to agree on a care package.
Read the Care Home Information Package. The home must give you this before you sign. It lists suite types, care and meal packages, every fee, staffing, emergency response and how to complain.
Sign the tenancy agreement. It must be in writing and list the care services, meals and the price of each. You have five days after signing to cancel in writing, so show it to a relative or a lawyer.
Plan the move. Most homes ask for first month's rent and may take last month's rent as a deposit. Book movers, and start downsizing early.

Choosing a home

Care now and later. Ask what the home does if needs grow: does it offer assisted living or memory care, and at what point would it suggest long-term care?
The full monthly price. Get the base rent and every add-on in writing: medication help, bathing, laundry, extra meals, escorts.
Staffing. Who is on at night? Is a nurse on site, and how many hours?
Licence and inspections. Check the home on the RHRA public register and read recent inspection reports.
The people. Talk to residents and families, eat a meal, and look at the activity calendar.

Paying for it

The government doesn't subsidize retirement home rent or care, so families usually combine pension income, savings and the sale of a home. Help that can apply:

Medical expense tax credit: the part of retirement home fees that pays for attendant care may count. Ask the home for a yearly receipt showing that part, and check the Canada Revenue Agency's rules.
Disability Tax Credit and caregiver credits: they can reduce income tax for your parent or the family member supporting them.
Veterans Independence Program: may pay for some care and services for eligible veterans.
GIS and GAINS: income top-ups for low-income seniors.

See all funding programs and caregiver credits and leave.

Living there

Your parent has their own suite and their own front door, and can come and go.
They can bring in outside care, such as Ontario Health atHome services or a private caregiver, and the home can't stop it.
Care plans are reviewed as needs change. Your parent has the right to take part in every decision about their care.
If care needs grow beyond what the home can provide, the next step is usually long-term care. You can apply through Ontario Health atHome while still living in the retirement home. See long-term care homes and how to apply.

The first 30 days

Expect an adjustment period. Many new residents feel unsettled for the first few weeks. That's normal, and it usually eases.
Make the suite feel like home with familiar furniture, photos and bedding, set up before or on moving day.
Visit often at first, but not all day. Encourage your parent to try meals in the dining room and a few activities so they meet people.
Meet the care team in the first week. Confirm the care plan, medication times and who to call with questions.
Check the first bill against the care package you agreed to, and raise any surprises right away.
Review after a month. Ask your parent and the staff how it's going, and adjust the care package if needs differ from what was expected.

Resident rights: how a retirement home differs from owning or renting

Moving into a retirement home is a tenancy with care attached. Two laws protect residents: the Residential Tenancies Act (the same law as for apartments, with special rules for care homes) and the Retirement Homes Act (care standards and a Residents' Bill of Rights).

	Owning your home	Renting an apartment	Living in a retirement home
Rules that protect you	Property law; you decide	Residential Tenancies Act	Residential Tenancies Act care home rules, plus the Retirement Homes Act and its Residents' Bill of Rights
Price increases	Taxes, utilities and repairs rise with costs	Rent up once a year with 90 days' notice, capped by the yearly guideline (2.1% for 2026) for most units first rented before November 15, 2018	Rent: same rules as an apartment. Care and meal charges: no cap on amount or frequency, but 90 days' written notice is required
Before you sign	Home inspection, lawyer	Standard lease	Care Home Information Package must come first, and you can cancel within 5 days of signing
Care and services	Arrange your own	Arrange your own	Buy care packages from the home, and you can still use outside caregivers
Leaving	Sell the home	60 days' notice, usually at the end of a rental period	30 days' written notice at any time; stop care and meals with 10 days' notice
If needs change	Adapt the home or move	Landlord can't evict for health needs	The home can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board to transfer a resident whose care needs it can't meet, and must show suitable accommodation is available
Privacy and entry	Complete	24 hours' written notice for most entries	Same as an apartment, except for agreed bed checks, which the resident can cancel in writing
Inspections and complaints	None	Landlord and Tenant Board	The RHRA licenses and inspects the home and investigates complaints, and the Landlord and Tenant Board handles tenancy disputes
After a death	Estate sells the home	Tenancy can end by notice or agreement	Tenancy ends 30 days after death if no one else lives in the suite; the estate pays care and meals for only 10 days

Key rights in the Residents' Bill of Rights

To know what care services are offered and what they cost, with notice before charges go up.
To take part fully in decisions about their care and plan of care.
To privacy in care and treatment, and to live in a safe, clean home.
To be treated with courtesy and respect, with their lifestyle, culture and faith respected.
To raise concerns or suggest changes without fear of reprisal.
To be told about, and apply for, publicly funded care from outside the home.

Concerns: raise them with the home first. Complaints about care, harm or neglect go to the RHRA at 1-855-275-7472. Rent, notices and transfers go to the Landlord and Tenant Board at 1-888-332-3234. Suspected harm to a resident must be reported to the RHRA.

Checked November 2, 2026 against Landlord and Tenant Board: Rules for care homes, CLEO: Care homes, rent and services (January 2026), Retirement Homes Act, 2010, and Find a retirement home (ontario.ca). General information, not legal advice; for a specific problem, contact a community legal clinic.