Applying for Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing

To apply for Rent-Geared-to-Income housing, create an online account in MyAccesstoHousingTO. Through your online account, you can apply for and manage your application for Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing in Toronto. 

MyAccesstoHousingTO provides a convenient and secure way to manage your application on your smartphone, tablet or computer. In your MyAccesstoHousingTO account, you can: 

  • view the status of your application 
  • receive notifications and important updates 
  • view and update information including adding household members, or change your contact information 
  • upload required supporting documents, including Status in Canada documents, signed Consent and Declaration Form and Notice of Assessment 
  • participate in the new choice-based housing offer process 

If you need additional support with your application or you are a newcomer in need of assistance, go to Help for RGI Applicants.

To complete your application, you will need: 

  • a valid Canadian status document for all household members 
  • your most recent Notice(s) of Assessment, for all household members 16 years of age and older  

Secondary school students: 

  • a letter from the principal or registrar 
  • a certified timetable  

Post-secondary students: 

  • a document from a funding agency that outlines the name of the educational institution and the number of courses the student is taking  
  • a confirmation of enrolment prepared by an educational institution 
  • a receipt from the educational institution showing the tuition fees paid  
  • digitally signed Consent and Declaration for all household members 16 years of age and older through the “Sign and Submit” section 

The Notice of Assessment Waiver will allow exempted households to bypass uploading a Notice of Assessment when applying for housing. If it is determined the household does not meet the exemption, they will be required to provide the NOA to maintain their application on the waiting list.

NOTE: The NOA Waiver is only granted for the first year on the Centralized Waiting List. All applicants are required to provide a Notice of Assessment after the first year to maintain their application on the Centralized Waiting List.

If a member of a household falls under one of the following exemption categories, they can submit a service request for a Notice of Assessment Waiver:

  • homeless eligibility on file;
  • have turned 16 in the current year and have not yet filed taxes;
  • are a full-time student with proof of enrollment;
  • are a newcomer and have been in Canada for less than one (1) year;
  • or, you are applying for the Special Priority Program (SPP) and do not have a current Notice of Assessment (NOA) from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and require a waiver from the NOA requirement for one (1) year.

To request a NOA Waiver service ticket:

  • Log into MyAccesstoHousingTO account
  • Click Service Request
  • Click Add Service Request
  • Select ‘NOA Waiver’ from the dropdown menu
  • Type the exemption category that applies to you from the list above in the ‘brief description’ box
  • Type anything else we may need to know, such as which household member this applies to, in the additional details box
  • Click Save

While completing your application, you can express interest in the City’s Commercial Rent Supplement program, which provides an RGI subsidy to eligible households in specific private market rental buildings. Eligibility rules for the program are the same as RGI in social or co-operative housing, which are set by the Province of Ontario under the Housing Services Act.

The program:

  • partners with private market landlords that own and manage the buildings to secure rent supplement units
  • supports eligible households on the Centralized Waiting List to access Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing and maintain their benefit
  • ensures timely and accurate subsidy payments to landlords

Applicants interested in the program must select the ward(s) they are interested in when applying for Rent-Geared-to-Income housing. This will add them to the waiting list for all rent supplement units within those wards. Once an applicant reaches the top of the Centralized Waiting List and housing becomes available, City staff will contact the applicant to make an offer.

Applicants are then provided the address of the RGI unit for viewing and will have the opportunity to choose whether they want to accept or refuse the offer. If the offer is accepted, the landlord must also approve the applicant.

The City:

  • calculates the RGI portion of the rent
  • pays the RGI subsidy to the landlord (the difference between the market rent and the RGI tenant’s rent)
  • conducts annual reviews
  • signs legal agreements with landlords participating in the program, which outline the funding relationship and obligations of the City and landlord

Once a household moves in tenants pay their portion of the rent directly to the landlord. There are approximately 2,500 housing units in the Commercial Rent Supplement program secured through agreements with approximately 200 landlords.

To request a modified unit, or an additional bedroom for an overnight caregiver or storing eligible medical equipment, you and your physician must complete the appropriate form:

Caregivers or home care agencies may need to submit additional forms. Please ensure you upload the completed form(s) to your MyAccesstoHousingTO account.

Due to the Canada Post labour dispute, Access to Housing recognizes this may delay mail delivery. Access to Housing will continue to receive and process applications and forms.

Ways to submit documents:

  • Upload applications and documents  through your MyAccesstoHousingTO online applicant portal
  • Visit a Housing Help Centre for support with uploading your documents
  • Drop off your documents at our office located at 176 Elm Street, Toronto.

Access to Housing accepts documents by mail. Our mailing address is:

176 Elm Street

Toronto, ON

M5T 3M4

Documents received by mail can take up to 4 weeks to be received and processed. You may contact the Application Support Centre at 416-338-8888, press 1 for housing and follow the prompts to confirm if your document has been received.

If you require an application or a form to be mailed to you, contact the Application Support Centre.

For additional support, go to Help for RGI Applicants.