Please note: Licencing and enforcement will start in October 2026.
Whether you are a landlord planning a major renovation or a tenant asked to move out for one, the Rental Renovation Bylaw applies to you.
What Is the Rental Renovation Bylaw and Licence?
The City of Guelph requires a Rental Renovation Licence when:
- a landlord issues an N13 eviction notice for repairs or renovations (not demolition or conversation), and
- a tenant must move out of their rental unit while work is completed.
The bylaw helps ensure that landlords provide the required information and documentation to demonstrate that the work requires the unit to be vacant, while helping tenants understand their rights and available supports throughout the renovation process.
Key Terms
- N13 Notice: A Provincial legal form issued by the landlord or property manager to evict a tenant. The Rental Renovation Bylaw applies to N13s issued to do major repairs or renovations on a rental unit, which require a building permit and require the tenant to move out.
- Residential Tenancies Act (RTA): The Provincial act that governs the relationship between a tenant and a landlord. This is enforced by the Landlord Tenant Board.
- Right of First Refusal: In Ontario, all tenants have the right to move back once work is complete, if the tenant has written a formal letter to the landlord stating this intent. This right is guaranteed under the Residential Tenancies Act. The unit must be rented at the same rate it was rented previously, plus any standard annual guideline increases.
Tenant Compensation and the Right to Return
The bylaw does not require compensation beyond those laid out in Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act. Under this act, compensation is required both when a tenant plans to return or does not plan to return to a unit. Compensation may vary depending on the number of units in the building.
Licence Exemptions
- Student and staff housing on college or university campuses, when the housing is owned, operated, or managed by the school.
- Housing operated by the City.
- Hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, tourist homes, licensed lodging houses, licensed short-term rentals, and licensed residential care facilities.
- Group Homes
- Housing regulated under provincial laws, including:
- Homes for Special Care
- Long-term care homes
- Retirement homes
- Housing covered by the Housing Services Act
- Certain social or affordable housing projects that have an agreement with the City and have received an exemption approval.
Important Dates
- June 2026: Rental Renovation Bylaw approved and adopted.
- October 2026: Licencing program and enforcement begins.
For More Information
Licensing
519-822-1260 extension 2551
[email protected]