Current City of Toronto Average Market Rents & Utility 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 41, 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 2018 are used to set Affordable Housing monthly occupancy cost rents for the 2019 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 – 2019 Greater Toronto Average Market Rent (AMR)
Unit Size

2019
Average Market Rent

2019
80% of Average Market Rent
Hostel $839 $671
Bachelor apartment $1,089 $871
1 bedroom apartment $1,270 $1,016
2 bedroom apartment $1,492 $1,194
3 bedroom apartment $1,664 $1,331
4 bedroom apartment $1,954 $1,563
5 bedroom apartment $2,185 $1,748
2 bedroom townhouse $1,660 $1,328
3 bedroom townhouse $1,731 $1,385
4 bedroom townhouse $2,203 $1,763
5 bedroom townhouse $2,548 $2,038

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.

Utility Allowance

In Affordable Housing units where tenants pay for any utility cost, they are entitled to a utility allowance deduction from their monthly occupancy cost. This includes tenants who pay separately or are bulk/suite-metered. Utility allowances are adjusted annually based on the related Consumer Price Indices published each year by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Table 2 – 2020 Affordable Housing Utility Allowances

Unit Size

Hydro

Heat

Water

Hot Water
Bachelor apartment

$34

$26

$11

 $19
1 bedroom apartment

$34

$26

$11

 $19
2 bedroom apartment

$49

$30

$20

 $26
3 bedroom apartment

$57

$31

$24

 $32
4 bedroom apartment

$61

$31

$27

 $40
5 bedroom apartment

$61

$31

$27

 $40
2 bedroom townhouse

$49

$30

$20

 $26
3 bedroom townhouse

$57

$31

$24

 $32
4 bedroom townhouse

$61

$31

$27

 $40
5 bedroom townhouse

$61

$31

$27

 $40

Previous Average Market Rents

Table 3 – Greater Toronto Average Market Rents, 2010 to 2018

Effective Year
Unit Size 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
 Hostel $796  $770  $756  $728  $712  $690  $668  $633  $607
 Bachelor apartment $1,019  $962  $942  $899  $876  $840  $822  $778  $759
 1 bedroom apartment $1,202  $1,137  $1,110  $1,071  $1,035  $1,010  $979  $950  $927
 2 bedroom apartment $1,426  $1,341  $1,301  $1,264  $1,225  $1,194  $1,161  $1,135  $1,106
 3 bedroom apartment $1,595  $1,544  $1,540  $1,484  $1,488  $1,443  $1,374  $1,346  $1,311
 4 bedroom apartment $1,854  $1,795  $1,761  $1,696  $1,659  $1,609  $1,558  $1,530  $1,495
 5 bedroom apartment $2,074  $2,008  $1,970  $1,898  $1,856  $1,800  $1,742  $1,714  $1,679
 2 bedroom townhouse $1,430  $1,318  $1,289  $1,265  $1,231  $1,204  $1,170  $1,146  $1,137
 3 bedroom townhouse $1,698  $1,581  $1,572  $1,512  $1,521  $1,442  $1,437  $1,399  $1,361
 4 bedroom townhouse $2,021  $1,899  $1,872  $1,819  $1,799  $1,732  $1,704  $1,652  $1,585
 5 bedroom townhouse $2,337  $2,195  $2,165  $2,103  $2,080  $2,003  $1,971  $1,905  $1,809

Previous Affordable Housing Utility Allowances

Table 4 – Previous Affordable Housing Utility Allowances (2019 and 2018)

Utility and Effective Year
Unit Size Hydro 2019 Hydro 2018 Heat 2019 Heat 2018  Water 2019 Water 2018 Hot Water 2019 Hot Water 2018
 Bachelor apartment $34  $34 $24  $24 $10  $10 $17  $17
 1 bedroom apartment $34  $34 $24  $24 $10  $10 $17  $17
 2 bedroom apartment $48  $48 $28  $28 $20  $19 $24  $24
 3 bedroom apartment $56  $56 $29  $29 $24  $22 $30  $30
 4 bedroom apartment $59  $59 $29  $29 $26  $25 $37  $37
 5 bedroom apartment $59  $59 $29  $29 $26  $25 $37  $37
 2 bedroom townhouse $48  $48 $28  $28 $20  $19 $24  $24
 3 bedroom townhouse $56  $56 $29  $29 $24  $22 $30  $30
 4 bedroom townhouse $59  $59 $29  $29 $26  $25 $37  $37
 5 bedroom townhouse $59  $59 $29  $29 $26  $25 $37  $37