Housing

Yes, you may be entitled to a rent reduction (abatement) if your landlord fails to maintain the property and essential services or premises become substantially unfit for use.

Yes, your landlord can evict you—but only through the proper legal process, and in most Canadian provinces, a residential tenancy tribunal (not a court) has exclusive jurisdiction over eviction and lease disputes.

Tenants in Quebec have strong protections through the Régie du logement, which has exclusive jurisdiction over residential lease disputes, including rent control, eviction safeguards, and mandatory hearing rights before any eviction.

Yes, a tenant in Canada can sue for damages caused by landlord negligence in common areas, as courts recognize landlords’ duty to maintain those areas safely.

Generally, no — a landlord in Canada cannot enter your apartment without your permission, except in emergencies or with proper notice as required by provincial tenancy laws.

No, landlords in Canada cannot raise rent without limits — provincial and territorial laws set maximum allowable increases, notice periods, and frequency rules.

Yes, in most Canadian provinces, you can end your tenancy early if the rental unit has serious health or safety hazards that make it unfit for habitation.

Residential tenancy law in Canada is exclusively provincial — the federal government has no legislative authority over it.

Yes, residential tenancy tribunals in Canada are constitutional bodies that may exercise eviction powers, provided they do not infringe on the exclusive jurisdiction of s. 96 courts under the Constitution Act, 1867.

No, the federal government does not have jurisdiction over residential tenancy disputes — this is exclusively a provincial responsibility under Canada’s constitutional division of powers.

Yes, a housing co-op can evict a member, but only for specific reasons and following strict procedural rules under provincial co-op legislation.

CMHC mortgage insurance is government-backed protection for lenders against borrower default, required in Canada when your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s purchase price.

Yes, CMHC can acquire land to build affordable housing under section 44 of the National Housing Act.

CMHC’s total insured amounts outstanding cannot exceed the limit set by regulation under the National Housing Act.

CMHC promotes affordable rental housing construction primarily by making or insuring loans for rental housing projects under the National Housing Act.

CMHC provides mortgage default insurance to lenders for eligible residential mortgages with down payments of less than 20%, protecting lenders against loss if borrowers default.

Canada offers several federal programs for first-time homebuyers, including the First Home Savings Account (FHSA), Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP), and CMHC-insured mortgages with lower down payment requirements.

Approved lenders are financial institutions designated by the federal Minister under the National Housing Act to make insured or government-backed housing loans secured by mortgages on residential property.

Yes, you may appeal an administrative tribunal’s decision to a court — but only on questions of law (not fact or discretion), and only if the statute allows it or judicial review is available.

No, landlords in Canada cannot refuse to rent to you because of your race or disability — it is illegal discrimination under federal and provincial human rights laws.

Social housing in Canada refers to rental housing provided at below-market rents to low- and moderate-income households, and the federal government funds it primarily through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the National Housing Act.

The National Housing Strategy reduces homelessness by funding affordable and social housing through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), guided by the National Housing Act’s goals of housing affordability, choice, and adequate funding.

Yes, a commercial tenant can enforce restrictive covenants against a landlord in Canada if the covenant is clear, intended to benefit the tenant, and properly registered — as confirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in Russo v. Field.

Yes, municipalities in Canada can charge developers fees for infrastructure, but not directly for schools — only provincial governments may impose education-related development charges, as confirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Condominiums in Canada are regulated exclusively under provincial and territorial law — not federal law.