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.

To view Toronto’s AMRs, view tables 1.1.2 and 2.1.2, Zones 1-17, in the Rental Market Report Data Tables – Greater Toronto Area.

Monthly Occupancy Costs

Average Market Rent figures published annually are used to set Affordable Housing monthly occupancy costs for the 2021 year, with different Affordable Housing programs charging 100 per cent, 80 per cent or other percentages of Average Market Rent (AMR), depending on their agreement. Occupancy costs equal to 80 per cent of AMR are common and for this reason, included in the table below.

Table 1 – 2021 City of Toronto Average Market Rent (AMR)
Unit Size

2021
Average Market Rent

2021
80% of Average Market Rent
Hostel $942 $754
Bachelor apartment $1,211 $969
1 bedroom apartment $1,431 $1,145
2 bedroom apartment $1,661 $1,329
3 bedroom apartment $1,896 $1,517
4 bedroom apartment $2,194 $1,755
5 bedroom apartment $2,454 $1,963
2 bedroom townhouse $1,988 $1,590
3 bedroom townhouse $1,928 $1,542
4 bedroom townhouse $2,546 $2,037
5 bedroom townhouse $2,945 $2,356

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 – 2021 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

$21

 $26
3 bedroom apartment

$57

$31

$25

 $32
4 bedroom apartment

$61

$31

$28

 $40
5 bedroom apartment

$61

$31

$28

 $40
2 bedroom townhouse

$49

$30

$21

 $26
3 bedroom townhouse

$57

$31

$25

 $32
4 bedroom townhouse

$61

$31

$28

 $40
5 bedroom townhouse

$61

$31

$28

 $40

Previous Average Market Rents

Table 3 – City of Toronto Average Market Rents, 2012 to 2020

Effective Year
Unit Size 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
 Hostel $894 $839 $796  $770  $756  $728  $712  $690  $668
 Bachelor apartment $1,148 $1,089 $1,019  $962  $942  $899  $876  $840  $822
 1 bedroom apartment $1,374 $1,270 $1,202  $1,137  $1,110  $1,071  $1,035  $1,010  $979
 2 bedroom apartment $1,591 $1,492 $1,426  $1,341  $1,301  $1,264  $1,225  $1,194  $1,161
 3 bedroom apartment $1,766 $1,664 $1,595  $1,544  $1,540  $1,484  $1,488  $1,443  $1,374
 4 bedroom apartment $2,083 $1,954 $1,854  $1,795  $1,761  $1,696  $1,659  $1,609  $1,558
 5 bedroom apartment $2,329 $2,185 $2,074  $2,008  $1,970  $1,898  $1,856  $1,800  $1,742
 2 bedroom townhouse $1,683 $1,660 $1,430  $1,318  $1,289  $1,265  $1,231  $1,204  $1,170
 3 bedroom townhouse $1,749 $1,731 $1,698  $1,581  $1,572  $1,512  $1,521  $1,442  $1,437
 4 bedroom townhouse $2,230 $2,203 $2,021  $1,899  $1,872  $1,819  $1,799  $1,732  $1,704
 5 bedroom townhouse $2,579 $2,548 $2,337  $2,195  $2,165  $2,103  $2,080  $2,003  $1,971

Previous Affordable Housing Utility Allowances

Table 4 – Previous Affordable Housing Utility Allowances (2020 and 2019)

Utility and Effective Year
Unit Size Hydro 2020 Hydro 2019 Heat 2020 Heat 2019  Water 2020  Water 2019 Hot Water 2020 Hot Water 2019
 Bachelor apartment $34 $34 $26 $24  $11 $10  $19 $17
 1 bedroom apartment $34 $34 $26 $24  $11 $10  $19 $17
 2 bedroom apartment $49 $48 $30 $28  $20 $20  $26 $24
 3 bedroom apartment $57 $56 $31 $29  $24 $24  $32 $30
 4 bedroom apartment $61 $59 $31 $29  $27 $26  $40 $37
 5 bedroom apartment $61 $59 $31 $29  $27 $26  $40 $37
 2 bedroom townhouse $48 $48 $30 $28  $20 $20  $26 $24
 3 bedroom townhouse $57 $56 $31 $29  $24 $24  $32 $30
 4 bedroom townhouse $61 $59 $31 $29  $27 $26  $40 $37
 5 bedroom townhouse $61 $59 $31 $29  $27 $26  $40 $37