Interim Residential
Rental Increase Cap Act

CHAPTER 22

OF THE

ACTS OF 2021

amended 2023, c. 7; 2024, c. 12, ss. 1, 2

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An Act to Implement an Interim
Residential Rental Increase Cap

Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Interim Residential Rental Increase Cap Act. 2021, c. 22, s. 1.

Interpretation

2 Words and expressions used in this Act have the same meaning as in the Residential Tenancies Act. 2021, c. 22, s. 2.

Application of Act

3 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), this Act applies to rental increases respecting all residential premises.

(2) This Act does not apply to rental increases for tenants in a public housing program in which the amount of the tenant's rent is increased solely on the basis of an increase in the tenant's income.

(3) This Act does not apply to rental increases in a land-lease community that comply with Section 11B of the Residential Tenancies Act. 2021, c. 22, s. 3.

Maximum increase of rent

4 (1) In addition to the restrictions on increasing rent in Section 11 of the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord shall not increase the rent payable by an existing tenant by more than

(a) until and including December 31, 2023, two per cent;

(b) from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, inclusive, the amount permitted by the regulations;

(c) from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, inclusive, the amount permitted by the regulations;

(d) from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026, inclusive, five per cent;

(e) from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2027, inclusive, five per cent,

above the amount that the tenant was legally required to pay in the preceding 12-month period.

(2) For greater certainty, subsection (1) applies if a landlord enters into a new fixed-term lease with an existing tenant for the same residential premises. 2021, c. 22, s. 4; 2023, c. 7, s. 1; 2024, c. 12, s. 1.

Application to Director

5 (1) Where a tenant believes that a landlord has imposed a rental increase in contravention of this Act, the tenant may make an application to the Director of Residential Tenancies in accordance with Section 13 of the Residential Tenancies Act for an order requiring the landlord to reimburse the tenant for any amount of rent collected in contravention of this Act.

(2) Sections 16 to 17F of the Residential Tenancies Act apply with necessary changes to an application made under subsection (1). 2021, c. 22, s. 5.

Regulations

5A (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations determining the maximum permitted rent increase or the manner of determining the maximum permitted rent increase for each of the periods referred to in clauses 4(1)(b) and (c).

(2) The exercise by the Governor in Council of the authority contained in subsection (1) is a regulation within the meaning of the Regulations Act. 2023, c. 7, s. 2.

Rent Review Act repealed

6 Chapter 398 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Rent Review Act, is repealed. 2021, c. 22, s. 6.

Effective date

7 (1) This Act, except Section 5, expires and ceases to have any force or effect after December 31, 2027.

(2) Section 5 of this Act expires and ceases to have any force or effect after December 31, 2028. 2021, c. 22, s. 7; 2023, c. 7, s. 3; 2024, c. 12, s. 2.

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