How to Apply for Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) Housing in Ontario
Rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing is subsidized housing where rent is normally about 30 per cent of your household income. There is no single Ontario-wide application and no single income limit. Ontario has 47 Service Managers under the Housing Services Act, 2011, each with its own centralized wait list and income and asset limits. You apply to the Service Manager where you want to live. For income and asset limits, see rent-geared-to-income housing in Ontario.
Step 1: Find your Service Manager
Your Service Manager is usually your city, region, or District Social Services Administration Board. You must apply where you want to live: an Ottawa application does not put you on the Toronto wait list. If you do not know which one serves you, call 2-1-1.
| Where you want to live | Service Manager and how to apply |
|---|---|
| Ottawa | Social Housing Registry of Ottawa, 613-526-2088, 240 Catherine Street, Suite 110. |
| Toronto | City of Toronto, through MyAccesstoHousingTO. See RGI housing in Toronto. |
| Durham Region | Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH), toll-free 1-800-372-1102. |
| Kingston | City of Kingston Housing Registry, through MyKingston or in person. |
| Everywhere else | Call 2-1-1 and ask for the Service Manager where you want to live. |
Step 2: Gather your documents
Expect to provide:
- ID and proof of status in Canada for every household member 16 or older: birth certificates, passports or Permanent Resident cards.
- Your most recent Notice of Assessment.
- Proof of income: recent pay stubs, or proof of Ontario Works or ODSP payments.
- Your current lease or rental agreement.
- An asset declaration, so the Service Manager can check it against local asset limits.
- Any custody, medical or Special Priority documents that apply, including professional verification for Special Priority.
Start collecting these before you apply: missing documents are the most common reason for delays. If you cannot get a document, ask your Service Manager about alternatives.
Step 3: Apply
Most Service Managers accept applications online, by mail or in person. Complete the form with your household size, address and income, and choose the buildings you would accept. Read the consent and declaration before you sign.
After you submit, the Service Manager reviews your application. If you meet the rules, you receive written confirmation with your application date. The list runs mainly first-come, first-served, except for priority households. Demand is high, so apply early and keep your file current while you wait.
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Use the EmergencyHousing.CA community directory to find your local Service Manager and housing registry.
Step 4: Ask about Special Priority if you are fleeing abuse
Special Priority is the highest priority on the wait list, set by provincial law. Under the Housing Services Act, 2011 and Ontario Regulation 367/11, sections 52 to 58, it is for people eligible for RGI assistance whose safety, or whose family's safety, is at risk because of abuse by someone they live with or recently lived with, or who is sponsoring them as an immigrant. It also covers human trafficking. If you qualify, you go ahead of non-priority applicants, but behind Special Priority applicants who applied before you.
To apply, complete a Special Priority application with your Service Manager, with verification from a qualified professional: a doctor, nurse, social worker, police officer, victim services worker, shelter worker or legal clinic lawyer. Verification must confirm the abuse and that social housing will allow a safe, independent residence. Ask your Service Manager for its forms, and ask a shelter worker, legal clinic or health worker to help you complete them.
What happens after you apply
Once you are on the wait list, your file is your responsibility: report changes in address, phone, income or household within 30 days, and confirm your file at least once a year, or it can be cancelled. Your income and eligibility are reviewed each year, and your RGI rent is recalculated.
When a fitting unit becomes available, your Service Manager contacts you with an offer. In most areas you receive one offer: refusing it can close your file, so check the local rules first. If you disagree with a decision, ask your Service Manager how to request a review, usually in writing within a set time.
While you wait
Ask your Service Manager whether you qualify for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) while you wait. Keep copies of everything you submit and keep your confirmation letter.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one application for all of Ontario?
No. There is no single Ontario-wide RGI application. You apply to the Service Manager where you want to live, and each one runs its own centralized wait list.
What documents do I need to apply?
ID and proof of status in Canada for every household member 16 or older, your most recent Notice of Assessment, proof of income, and your current lease.
What is Special Priority?
Special Priority is the highest priority on the centralized wait list. It is for people fleeing abuse or human trafficking, and it needs verification from a qualified professional such as a doctor, social worker, police officer or shelter worker.
Your next step
Find your Service Manager and apply: Ottawa 613-526-2088; Toronto MyAccesstoHousingTO; anywhere else 2-1-1.