2018 City of Toronto Average Market Rents & Hydro Allowances

“Monthly occupancy costs” (rent to landlords and charges for utilities) of Toronto Affordable Housing is related to the “Average Market Rents” (AMRs) of other rental accommodation in the city. AMRs are published yearly by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) in the Rental Market Report – Greater Toronto Area. To view Toronto’s AMRs, view tables on pages 13 and 40, rows Zones 1-17. Read the relevant By-Law No. 124-2016 for more information.

Monthly Occupancy Costs

Average Market Rent figures published in the fall of 2017 are used to set Affordable Housing monthly occupancy cost rents for the 2018 year, with different Affordable Housing programs charging 100%, 80% or other percentages of AMR, depending on their agreement. Occupancy costs equal to 80% of AMR are common and for this reason, included in the table below.

Table 1 – 2018 Greater Toronto Average Market Rent (AMR)
Unit Size

2018
Average Market Rent

2018
80% of Average Market Rent
Hostel $796 $637
Bachelor apartment $1,019 $815
1 bedroom apartment $1,202 $962
2 bedroom apartment $1,426 $1,141
3 bedroom apartment $1,595 $1,276
4 bedroom apartment $1,854 $1,483
5 bedroom apartment $2,074 $1,660
2 bedroom townhouse $1,430 $1,144
3 bedroom townhouse $1,698 $1,358
4 bedroom townhouse $2,021 $1,617
5 bedroom townhouse $2,337 $1,869

Initial Income Limits

To rent an Affordable Housing unit, households must have annual gross income which is less than the “initial income limit”, an amount equal to four times the monthly occupancy cost for the housing unit multiplied by 12.

Hydro Allowance

In Affordable Housing units where tenants pay their own hydro, they are entitled to have a monthly “hydro allowance” deducted from their monthly occupancy cost, as shown here. This includes tenants who pay separately or are bulk/suite-metered.

Table 2 – 2018 Affordable Housing Hydro Allowances

Unit Size

 Monthly Hydro Allowance to deduct from Occupancy Cost if tenant pays hydro
Bachelor apartment

$34
1 bedroom apartment

$34
2 bedroom apartment

$48
3 bedroom apartment

$56
4 bedroom apartment

$59
5 bedroom apartment

$59
2 bedroom townhouse

$48
3 bedroom townhouse

$56
4 bedroom townhouse

$59
5 bedroom townhouse

$59

Previous Average Market Rents

Table 3 – Greater Toronto Average Market Rents, 2010 to 2017

Effective Year
Unit Size 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
 Hostel  $770  $756  $728  $712  $690  $668  $633  $607
 Bachelor apartment  $962  $942  $899  $876  $840  $822  $778  $759
 1 bedroom apartment  $1,137  $1,110  $1,071  $1,035  $1,010  $979  $950  $927
 2 bedroom apartment  $1,341  $1,301  $1,264  $1,225  $1,194  $1,161  $1,135  $1,106
 3 bedroom apartment  $1,544  $1,540  $1,484  $1,488  $1,443  $1,374  $1,346  $1,311
 4 bedroom apartment  $1,795  $1,761  $1,696  $1,659  $1,609  $1,558  $1,530  $1,495
 5 bedroom apartment  $2,008  $1,970  $1,898  $1,856  $1,800  $1,742  $1,714  $1,679
 2 bedroom townhouse  $1,318  $1,289  $1,265  $1,231  $1,204  $1,170  $1,146  $1,137
 3 bedroom townhouse  $1,581  $1,572  $1,512  $1,521  $1,442  $1,437  $1,399  $1,361
 4 bedroom townhouse  $1,899  $1,872  $1,819  $1,799  $1,732  $1,704  $1,652  $1,585
 5 bedroom townhouse  $2,195  $2,165  $2,103  $2,080  $2,003  $1,971  $1,905  $1,809