EmergencyHousing.CA - Ontario housing help
Last updated: November 3, 2026
Last verified: November 3, 2026 against the sources named at the foot of this page.
RGI eligibility in Ontario is decided the same way in every city, then measured against that city's own income and asset limits. This page starts with a yes/no checklist you can work through in a few minutes, then gives you the limits, occupancy rules and application route for Ottawa, Toronto, Durham and Kingston. If every answer in the checklist is yes, you are ready to apply. If any answer is no, the notes under the checklist tell you what to do about it.
Find help near you: Search 6,000+ verified Ontario listings in the directory for housing help, shelters, legal clinics and support services in your community.
For the province-wide picture, including the 30 percent rent formula with worked examples, wait times, Special Priority steps and review rights, see our companion page: Rent-geared-to-income Ontario (RGI): full 2026 guide.
Work through each row. You need a yes on every row to be eligible for RGI assistance. The rules below are the provincial requirements under the Housing Services Act, 2011 and Ontario Regulation 367/11, as published by ontario.ca and the four cities on this page.
| Check | Question | If yes | If no |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is at least one household member 16 years old or older and able to live independently, with or without support services? | Continue. | You do not meet the provincial age and independence rule. Ask the service manager whether support services can be arranged. |
| 2 | Is every household member a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, someone who has applied for permanent resident status, or a refugee claimant or Convention refugee? | Continue. | You do not meet the provincial status rule. Get advice on your status before applying. |
| 3 | Is no household member under an enforceable removal order to leave Canada? | Continue. | You do not meet the provincial rule. Get legal advice before applying. |
| 4 | Is your household income under the income limit for the largest unit size you qualify for in your city? | Continue. | You are over the limit for that city. Check the limits for a neighbouring service manager, or re-check after your income changes. |
| 5 | Are your household assets under your city's asset limit? | Continue. | You are over the limit. Ask the service manager which assets it counts and which it exempts; OW and ODSP clients are exempt from local asset-limit rules. |
| 6 | Does no household member 16 or older owe money to any social housing provider in Ontario, or is there a repayment agreement in good standing? | Continue. | Settle the arrears or set up a repayment agreement in good standing, then apply. |
| 7 | Has no household member been convicted of misrepresenting income to receive RGI assistance in the past 2 years? | Continue. | You do not meet the rule until 2 years have passed since the conviction. Confirm the date with the service manager. |
| 8 | Does no household member own residential property suitable for year-round occupancy, or will you agree to sell it within 6 months of moving into RGI housing? | Continue. | You must agree to sell the property within 6 months of moving in. Special Priority households may have this rule waived if selling would put them at risk. |
| 9 | Can you provide a Notice of Assessment for every household member over 16 for the most recent tax year? | You are ready to apply. | File your taxes, or ask the service manager about a Notice of Assessment waiver. Full-time students are exempt with proof of enrolment. |
One no does not always end the story. Limits differ by city, asset rules have exemptions, and Special Priority can change your place on the wait list. If you are unsure about a row, call the service manager for your city before you decide not to apply. Contact details are in the where to apply by city table below.
Household income for RGI purposes is based on net income on line 23600 of your Notice of Assessment, with the adjustments set out in the regulations. Full-time student income is excluded. Your income is compared to the limit for the largest unit size you qualify for, not the unit you would prefer. The income limits in the table below are maximums: your household income must be under the limit.
Every service manager must set an asset limit of at least $50,000, and may set a higher limit or different limits for different household sizes or types. Ontario requires service managers to exempt OW and ODSP clients from their local asset-limit rules. Toronto's limit is $150,000 per household, and Toronto publishes a detailed list of what it counts and what it excludes, including bank accounts, investments and property on the counted side, and one personal vehicle per household member, RRSPs, RESPs, RDSPs, TFSAs within CRA limits and ordinary personal possessions on the excluded side. Ottawa, Durham and Kingston publish $50,000 for a single-person household and $75,000 for households with two or more people. Ask your service manager which assets it counts before you assume you are over or under.
There is no single Ontario-wide income limit. Pick your city below for its limits, its occupancy rules and its application route. For housing help, shelters and support services in any of these cities, see the EmergencyHousing.CA Community Directory.
| Unit size | Ottawa | Toronto | Durham | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor / studio | $51,500 | $60,000 (studio) | $64,000 (bachelor or 1-bedroom) | $32,000 |
| 1-bedroom | $62,000 | $70,000 | $64,000 | $42,000 |
| 2-bedroom | $74,000 | $79,000 | $67,000 | $49,500 |
| 3-bedroom | $80,000 | $84,000 | $74,000 | $53,500 |
| 4-bedroom or more | $94,500 (4 or more) | $83,000 (4 to 5 bedroom) | $83,500 (4 or 5 bedroom) | $62,500 (4 or more) |
| Asset limit | $50,000 single / $75,000 family | $150,000 per household | $50,000 single / $75,000 family | $50,000 single / $75,000 family |
Limits: Bachelor $51,500; 1-bedroom $62,000; 2-bedroom $74,000; 3-bedroom $80,000; 4-bedroom or more $94,500. Assets $50,000 for a single-person household and $75,000 for households with two or more people. Source: Social Housing Registry of Ottawa, Income and Asset Limit Rules Q and A for RGI Applicants, last updated January 2026.
Occupancy and additional bedrooms: your income limit applies to the largest unit size you qualify for. For an additional bedroom for a child under joint custody or access, the child must reside with your household at least 50 percent of the time, proven by a court order or notarized written agreement. Additional bedrooms are also available for a caregiver who provides full-time overnight support because of a disability or medical condition, and for a pregnancy. Source: City of Ottawa, Request for an Additional Bedroom form.
Where to apply: The Social Housing Registry of Ottawa (The Registry), 240 Catherine St., Suite 110, Ottawa, ON K2P 2G8, phone 613-526-2088, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You get one offer of RGI housing; refusing it cancels your file. For Ottawa housing help and shelters, see the Community Directory or our Subsidized Housing Ottawa page.
Limits: Studio $60,000; 1-bedroom $70,000; 2-bedroom $79,000; 3-bedroom $84,000; 4 to 5 bedroom $83,000. Assets $150,000 per household. Source: City of Toronto, Eligibility Requirements for Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing, modified April 1, 2026. Note that Toronto publishes $83,000 for a 4 to 5 bedroom unit, which is lower than its $84,000 limit for a 3 bedroom unit; that is what the City publishes.
Occupancy: studio and 1-bedroom limits cover 1 to 2 people; 2-bedroom covers 2 to 4 people; 3-bedroom covers 3 to 6 people; 4 to 5 bedroom covers 8 to 10 people (City of Toronto).
Where to apply: through the City of Toronto's MyAccesstoHousingTO portal, using the City's RGI pages. You must submit a Notice of Assessment for every household member over 16 for the most recent tax year, or request a waiver. For Toronto housing help, search the Community Directory.
Limits: 1-bedroom or bachelor $64,000; 2-bedroom $67,000; 3-bedroom $74,000; 4 or 5 bedroom $83,500. Assets $50,000 for a single person and $75,000 for a family. Source: Region of Durham, Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing (RGI) page. Your income limit applies to the largest unit you are allowed to move into, even if you move to a smaller unit.
Where to apply: Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH), which manages the wait list for RGI and modified units. Email [email protected], toll-free 1-800-372-1102. DASH states it cannot give your position on the wait list or estimate when you will receive an offer, and that wait times vary by priority, household size and type, applicant preference and turnover at specific properties. For Durham housing help, search the Community Directory.
Limits: Bachelor $32,000; 1-bedroom $42,000; 2-bedroom $49,500; 3-bedroom $53,500; 4 or more bedrooms $62,500. Assets under $50,000 for single applicants and under $75,000 for families. Source: City of Kingston, Social Housing page.
Occupancy: one bedroom per single person or couple, plus one additional bedroom for each extra household member. You may share a bedroom with another person. For visiting children, extra bedrooms require legal documents such as a custody order, a lawyer's letter or an affidavit showing visiting rights and how often the children stay overnight. You can request a modified unit, or an additional bedroom to store an assistive device, with verification of disability or medical condition.
Where to apply: City of Kingston Housing Registry, through MyKingston and the Social Housing intake form, or in person at Housing and Social Services, 362 Montreal St., Kingston, phone 613-546-2695 ext. 4769. If something is missing from your application, you will be told within 7 business days; if it is not supplied, the application is cancelled after 90 days. If your application is complete, you will be told within 30 days whether you are eligible. If you refuse an offer of housing you selected, you are removed from the centralized wait list, and you must respond to an offer within two business days. For Kingston housing help, search the Community Directory.
Each city has its own application route. Use the row for the city where you want to live.
| City | Official portal or form | Phone | Application form or checklist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | Registry forms page | 613-526-2088 | RGI application form (PDF, January 2026). Return it by mail or in person; the Registry does not accept applications by fax or email. |
| Toronto | City of Toronto RGI eligibility page, then MyAccesstoHousingTO portal | See the City of Toronto RGI pages | Apply through the MyAccesstoHousingTO portal. You must submit a Notice of Assessment for every household member over 16, or request a waiver. |
| Durham | Region of Durham RGI page | 905-668-7711; toll-free 1-800-372-1102; email [email protected] | DASH wait list application (PDF). DASH cannot give your position on the wait list or estimate when you will receive an offer. |
| Kingston | City of Kingston social housing page, or MyKingston online intake | 613-546-2695 ext. 4769; email [email protected] | Application for Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) Housing (PDF, revised July 29, 2026), 17 pages with an application checklist on page 3. |
Sources: Social Housing Registry of Ottawa (Ottawa); City of Toronto RGI eligibility page (Toronto); Region of Durham DASH and RGI pages (Durham); City of Kingston social housing page and RGI application form (Kingston). All checked November 3, 2026.
The law behind this checklist. RGI eligibility in Ontario comes from the Housing Services Act, 2011 and its regulations: Ontario Regulation 367/11 sets the general eligibility rules, including the age, status, income, asset, arrears and conviction rules in the checklist above, and the Special Priority rules in sections 52 to 58; Ontario Regulation 316/19 sets how RGI rent is calculated. Ontario requires service managers to exempt OW and ODSP clients from their local asset-limit rules. RRSPs and RRIFs are excluded from the asset count in the cities that publish an asset list, including Toronto and Ottawa. If a service manager's decision goes against you, the Housing Services Act, 2011, section 156, gives you a right to request a review: see the review rights in the if you fail a check section below.
Special Priority (SPP) is a provincial priority category under the Housing Services Act, 2011 and Ontario Regulation 367/11, sections 52 to 58. Every service manager must place eligible Special Priority households ahead of all standard applicants. Check these four questions:
If the answer to all four is yes, ask your service manager for a Special Priority application and include it with your RGI application or send it separately. Sources: ontario.ca, Priority access to housing for survivors of abuse and trafficking (updated November 1, 2024); City of Kingston, Social Housing page. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
| City | Apply through | Phone | Address or portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | The Social Housing Registry of Ottawa | 613-526-2088 | 240 Catherine St., Suite 110, Ottawa, ON K2P 2G8 |
| Toronto | City of Toronto, Access to Housing | See the City of Toronto RGI pages | MyAccesstoHousingTO portal, through the City of Toronto RGI pages |
| Durham | Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH) | 1-800-372-1102; email [email protected] | Region of Durham, Regional Headquarters, 605 Rossland Rd. East, Whitby |
| Kingston | City of Kingston Housing Registry | 613-546-2695 ext. 4769 | Housing and Social Services, 362 Montreal St., Kingston; MyKingston online intake |
Sources: Registry application forms (Ottawa); City of Toronto RGI eligibility page (Toronto); Region of Durham DASH directive, updated July 2025 (Durham); City of Kingston social housing page (Kingston).
If every answer in the checklist is yes, apply now to the service manager for the city where you want to live, using the contact table above. While you wait, search 6,000+ verified Ontario listings in the directory for housing help, shelters and support services near you, read the Rent-geared-to-income Ontario guide for wait times and the 30 percent rent formula, and see our Emergency Housing Ontario hub and Emergency Housing Ottawa hub for shelter and benefits help. If you need a place tonight, use our housing locator tool.