Program Criteria

Residents may be eligible for rental arrears or rental deposit assistance if:

Behind on rent payment(s) or need help with the first/last month’s rent deposit
Currently living in or are moving to Toronto
Paying market rent for a rental unit covered by the Residential Tenancies Act
Household is within low-income guidelines and is not in receipt of Social Assistance*
Have a source of income
Can satisfy other program requirements**

*Residents in receipt of social assistance should contact their Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) office as they may qualify for the Housing Stabilization Fund .

**Please note that meeting program criteria listed above does not guarantee a grant approval. Additional documentation may be required.

Steps to Apply

Our Call Centre is open from

Monday to Friday

9:00 AM to 4:30 PM

See if you meet

Toronto Rent Bank

Frequently Asked Questions

Can each member of my household apply separately?

Can I apply if I am bankrupt?

Can I refer someone who does not speak English to the Toronto Rent Bank?

We currently offer Rent Bank services in the following languages in addition to English: Arabic, Cantonese, French, Mandarin, Italian, Serbian, Spanish and Tamil.

Do I have to have a lease with my landlord to qualify?

Does the Toronto Rent Bank only cover rent arrears? Does it cover electricity arrears?

The Toronto Rent Bank covers rental arrears, and first and last month’s rent. You can apply to the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) at 416-924-2543 or Emergency Energy Fund (EEF) at 647-727-8988 if you are behind with your gas and electricity bills.

How long does the application take to be approved?

We require a minimum of 5 business days to process an application. In urgent situations, we may be able to process an application within a shorter time provided the applicant has all the documentation ready.

How often can I apply to the Toronto Rent Bank?

Currently, applicants can apply once every 12 months.

I am not on the lease but I pay the rent, do I qualify?

You need to be on the lease as a lease holder or an occupant to qualify. You can still apply to the Toronto Rent Bank Program and our intake worker will work with you to find a way to address the situation with your landlord.

I am scared to tell my landlord that I need assistance from the Toronto Rent Bank, what should I do?

Our goal is to prevent eviction and if necessary, rent bank workers can mediate between you and your landlord throughout the process. In general, landlords are happy to have the Rent Bank intervene as it saves them time and efforts that they may have to put into eviction proceedings. In fact, many landlords encourage their tenants to seek Rent Bank assistance.

I applied months ago but did not qualify, can I apply now?

I do not owe rent but I don’t think I can pay next month’s rent, do I qualify?

We can assist only if you are currently in rental arrears.

I get income from OSAP or my parents abroad, do I qualify?

This will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

I had a rent bank loan from the past, can I speed up the repayments?

Yes. You can contact with our Repayment Review Worker to follow-up on any questions or concerns about your repayments.

I lost all my IDs. How can I show my proof of ID?

You can apply to the Toronto Rent Bank Program and our intake worker will work with you to find a way to address the situation.

If I am moving to Toronto from out of town, do I qualify for assistance with rent deposit?

Yes. However, if you are moving from Toronto to another municipality, you do not qualify for rental deposit program.

Is my personal information protected?

Yes, your personal information will be kept confidential. We require your consent to share your information with any other third party, including your landlord.

Is there another program besides the Toronto Rent Bank that helps with rent?

There are many other resources in Toronto that support low-income tenants. Please call 211 or 311 to get more information on other resources that can assist you.

What happens if my rental arrears exceed $5,000 or four months of rent?

If you are not able to cover the balance of your rental arrears, our intake worker will help negotiate a repayment plan with your landlord for the balance of our arrears.

Who are the Rent Bank cheques payable to?

Rent Bank cheques are payable to your landlord.

Neighbourhood Information Post

269 Gerrard Street East, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5A 2G3

Hours

Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

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Please keep in mind:

This is only a guide to see if you are a good candidate for a Toronto Rent Bank grant. Completing this does not guarantee approval of a grant from the Toronto Rent Bank Program.
Please answer all the questions as truthfully as you can.
If you have questions, please give us a call at 416-397-7368 from Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM or email us at torontorentbank@nipost.org.