Municipal Update
Ontario Municipal Rental Licensing: Mississauga, Ottawa, Brampton & Waterloo
Rental licensing is no longer just a Toronto story. Mississauga has required a City licence for every N13 renovation eviction since September 1, 2026, Ottawa joins it on January 1, 2027, and Brampton and Waterloo already require a licence just to operate a rental. A provincial lease is not enough in these cities. You also need a municipal licence.
Bottom line
- Mississauga’s new Rental Repairs and Renovations Licensing By-law (No. 0039-2026) took effect September 1, 2026. Serve an N13 on or after that date and you must apply for a City licence within 7 days, on top of your provincial permit and compensation duties.
- Ottawa City Council approved its own Rental Renovation Licence By-law on July 15, 2026, taking effect January 1, 2027. It also licenses the N13 eviction itself: building permit first, a City-produced tenant guide with the notice, then a licence application within 7 days.
- Brampton residential rental licensing is now city-wide (all wards) as of January 1, 2026, for properties with one to four units. The licence is free but mandatory.
- Waterloo’s updated Rental Housing Licensing Bylaw (2025-044) took effect July 1, 2026, with $2M insurance and safety inspections.
- A municipal licence is separate from the Residential Tenancies Act. You still follow LTB rules for rent increases and notices on top of it.
Licensing is spreading beyond Toronto
For years, “rental licensing” in Ontario mostly meant Toronto’s RentSafeTO program for apartment buildings. That is changing fast. Municipalities use their licensing powers under the Municipal Act to register landlords, require safety inspections, and fine non-compliant operators, and several large Ontario cities have moved, including Mississauga, Ottawa, Brampton, and Waterloo.
If you own a rental in any of these cities, this is a compliance obligation that sits entirely outside the LTB. Missing it does not just risk a tenant dispute; it risks municipal fines and orders, regardless of how clean your tenancy paperwork is.
Mississauga: a City licence for every N13, since September 1, 2026
Mississauga City Council adopted the Rental Repairs and Renovations Licensing By-law (No. 0039-2026) on April 1, 2026. It took effect September 1, 2026, and it is a different animal from Brampton’s or Waterloo’s programs: it does not license the act of renting out a unit. It licenses the act of evicting a tenant to renovate.
If you serve an N13 notice on a Mississauga rental unit on or after September 1, 2026, you now need a City licence in addition to your provincial building permit, and you need both in hand before you can evict the tenant or start any work.
Application deadline
Apply for the City licence within 7 days of serving the N13, in person at Licensing, Permits and Regulatory Services, 950 Burnhamthorpe Road West.
Before you can start
You need the City licence and a valid building permit in hand before evicting the tenant or beginning work.
Licence fee
$150 for 3 months, $300 for 6 months, or $600 for 12 months, with no HST charged. Renew for another term if the work runs long.
Required documents
Application form, a qualified person’s report confirming the unit must be vacant, a signed release of liability, copies of the N13 and tenancy agreement, your building permit, and proof of at least $2,000,000 in commercial general liability insurance.
Moving Contribution
A one-time payment of $1,000 for units of 70 square metres (about 750 sq ft) or less, or $1,500 for larger units, paid at least 15 days before the tenant moves out.
Monthly top-up
If the tenant is coming back and their temporary unit costs more than their rent, pay the difference between their rent and the CMHC average market rent. It starts once the RTA compensation period ends.
None of this replaces your existing obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act. The Moving Contribution and rent top-up are on top of, not instead of, the compensation and right of return that the Residential Tenancies Act already requires for an N13. In Mississauga you now owe both sets of obligations at once: one to the province, one to the City.
Mississauga penalties
Breaking the by-law draws administrative penalties of $500 to $1,000. A conviction carries a fine of up to $100,000. Confirm the current application process on the City’s website before serving an N13 after September 1, 2026.
Ottawa: a renovation licence from January 1, 2027
Ottawa City Council approved its own Rental Renovation Licence By-law (the city calls it the “Renovictions By-law”) on July 15, 2026, and it comes into force January 1, 2027. Like Mississauga’s, it does not license the act of renting out a unit. It licenses the act of evicting a tenant for renovations or repairs.
1. Building permit first
Have the building permit for the work before you issue the N13.
2. Tenant education guide
Give the tenant the City’s eviction education guide with the N13.
3. Apply within 7 days
Apply to the City for the licence within 7 days of issuing the N13.
Required with the application
Tenancy and scope-of-work details, confirmation you gave the guide, a copy of the N13, and the building permit number.
Licence fee
None announced. Mississauga charges $150 to $600.
The provincial N13 rules in our renoviction guide still apply in full. Ottawa’s licence sits on top of them.
Not in force until January 1, 2027
Council may revisit it next term, including temporary accommodation and a qualified person’s report. Confirm the rules on the City’s website before relying on them.
Brampton: city-wide as of January 1, 2026
Brampton ran its Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) program as a pilot in selected wards. As of January 1, 2026, it applies city-wide (every ward). The program covers rental properties with one to four units, including single units, two-unit dwellings, and small multi-unit homes such as triplexes, fourplexes, and garden suites.
Application fee
Free: the City has waived all licence application fees (but the licence is still mandatory).
Education module
All applicants must complete a one-time online educational module.
Posted licence
The licence must be posted in a visible location in each rental unit.
Inspections
The City conducts both scheduled and unscheduled inspections.
Insurance
Owners must keep valid liability insurance in place (confirm the required coverage with the City).
Brampton fines
Operating without a licence draws set fines of $750, then $1,250, then $1,500 for repeat offences, and failing to register a unit starts at $1,000. Confirm the current set-fine schedule on the City’s website before relying on these amounts.
Waterloo: new bylaw effective July 1, 2026
Waterloo is overhauling its rental licensing regime. Under Bylaw 2025-044, the updated rules took effect July 1, 2026. No one may carry on a residential rental business without the appropriate licence class, and the requirements are more demanding than Brampton’s:
Liability insurance
$2,000,000 per occurrence of comprehensive public liability coverage.
Safety inspections
Gas/oil appliance and electrical safety inspections, completed within 12 months before applying.
Criminal record checks
Required for owners who reside in the rental units.
Compliance declarations
Statements confirming compliance with the Fire Protection and Prevention Act and the Building Code.
Waterloo licences are tiered by class: for example, Class A (non-owner-occupied, up to five bedrooms), Class B (owner-occupied), Class C (lodging houses), Class D (legacy/recognized units), and Class S (short-term rentals in apartment buildings). The class you need depends on how the unit is occupied, so confirm which class you need.
Waterloo fines
Penalties run up to $25,000 for an individual (first offence) and $50,000 for a repeat offence; corporations face up to $50,000 then $100,000. Daily fines of up to $10,000 can apply for each day a violation continues.
Brampton vs Waterloo at a glance
| Brampton | Waterloo | |
|---|---|---|
| Key date | City-wide Jan 1, 2026 | Bylaw 2025-044, July 1, 2026 |
| Who needs it | Rentals with 1–4 units | Residential rental businesses (by class) |
| Application fee | Free (waived) | Fees apply (set by the City) |
| Insurance | Valid coverage required | $2,000,000 per occurrence |
| Inspections | Scheduled + unscheduled | Gas/oil + electrical (within 12 months) |
| Fines (no licence) | $750 / $1,250 / $1,500 (escalating) | Up to $25K individuals / $100K corporations |
* Programs change. Always confirm the current requirements, fees, and deadlines on your city’s official website before applying.
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What landlords should do now
Confirm whether your city licenses rentals or renovations
Mississauga, Ottawa, Brampton, and Waterloo are the latest, but Toronto, London, Oshawa, and others have programs too. A quick check on your municipality’s website tells you if you are in scope.
Planning an N13? Check for a City licence first
Seven cities license N13 renovations now, and Ottawa and Kitchener join them on January 1, 2027. You apply within 7 days of serving. In London, Guelph and Ottawa, get the building permit before you serve the N13.
Apply before the deadline
In Waterloo, you need the licence before operating once the July 1, 2026 rules apply. In Brampton, the city-wide requirement is already live as of January 1, 2026.
Get your safety paperwork in order
Electrical and fuel-appliance inspections, fire-safety compliance, and insurance certificates take time to arrange. Start early. Waterloo wants inspections completed within 12 months of applying.
Keep your RTA compliance separate and current
A municipal licence does not replace your LTB obligations. Rent increases still follow the guideline, and notices still use the N-series forms.
Disclaimer: This guide summarizes municipal rules that change frequently and is not legal advice. Figures and dates are based on the cities’ published materials as of October 2026. Always verify the current bylaw, fees, and deadlines directly with Mississauga, Ottawa, Brampton, or Waterloo before relying on them.
Related guides
Renoviction Laws Ontario
The provincial N13 permit, compensation, and right of return rules
Renoviction By-laws by City
All nine N13 licence by-laws compared
RentSafeTO Signage 2026
Toronto's colour-coded building signs
2027 Rent Increase Guideline
The 1.9% cap for 2027
CO Alarm Rules 2026
Safety requirements landlords must meet
Fire Code ULC-S536 (2026)
Fire alarm inspection requirements
Frequently asked questions
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