Locations · Ontario
Six former municipalities, one city, and the deepest rental market in the country.
The City of Toronto was formed in 1998 from the former cities of Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke and York and the borough of East York. The amalgamated city still reads as a collection of distinct places: a dense downtown of condominium towers, older streetcar neighbourhoods of Victorian and Edwardian houses, and wide post-war districts of bungalows, townhouses and apartment slabs.
That variety shapes everything we do here. A one-bedroom suite above a subway station, a semi-detached house with a basement unit and a room in a shared home are three different products with different tenants, costs and legal frameworks. We treat each on its own terms and set out the City's own rules, which differ from those of neighbouring municipalities, below.
Neighbourhoods
Twelve areas, from Downtown Core to Etobicoke: the homes in each and how people get around. They describe the area, not offices or properties we hold.
Photograph is illustrative and may not show this neighbourhood.
The blocks around Yonge Street from the waterfront to Bloor carry a dense mix of condominium towers, older rental apartments and lofts. Tenants are drawn by proximity to offices, Toronto Metropolitan University, the University of Toronto and the hospital district on University Avenue.
Properties in TorontoLocal property
01
Much of the city's newer rental supply is condominium apartments owned by individual investors. Leasing is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act and by each condominium corporation's declaration, by-laws and rules, which can restrict short-term stays, pets, move-in times and alterations.
02
Detached, semi-detached and row houses built before the Second World War line many streets in the older city. Many have been divided into multiple units over the decades, so the legal status of each unit, the electrical and fire separations, and past permits deserve a careful look.
03
Purpose-built rental towers from the 1950s to the 1970s house a large share of the city's tenants, particularly in North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke. Buildings of three or more storeys with ten or more units fall under the City's RentSafeTO program.
Communities
Getting around
TTC subway
Line 1 Yonge–University, Line 2 Bloor–Danforth and Line 4 Sheppard form the core of the network.
Streetcars
Routes such as 501 Queen, 504 King, 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina serve the older city and waterfront.
GO Transit & UP Express
Union Station connects regional rail across the GTA and the UP Express to Pearson Airport.
Service levels and routes change. Check the operator before relying on a route.
Market context
Rentals.ca reports an average asking rent for the City of Toronto across all property types, while TRREB reports average lease prices for condominium apartments leased through its MLS® System across a wider market area. They measure different things and are shown separately.
Within the city, rents differ sharply by building age, unit size, proximity to the subway and whether a unit is subject to rent-increase guidelines. A city-wide average is a starting point, not a price for a particular home.
$2,554
Average asking rent, all property types
down 1.4% year over year
$2,034
Average asking rent, all property types
down 4.2% year over year
$2,036
Average asking rent
down 2.7% year over year
$2,052
Average asking rent
down 7.8% year over year
Source: Rentals.ca National Rent Report, October 2026 · Rentals.ca and Urbanation · published October 7, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026
$2,273
Average lease price
down 2.3% vs Q2 2025
$3,013
Average lease price
down 1.7% vs Q2 2025
21,251
Rental transactions
up 4.2% vs Q2 2025
27,844
Listed for rent
up 2.9% vs Q2 2025
Source: TRREB Rental Market Report, Q2 2026 · Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) · published August 31, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026
For owners and buyers
Applicable rules
The City levies its own land transfer tax on purchases within Toronto, in addition to Ontario's. Eligible first-time buyers may receive a rebate of up to $4,475. Rates, brackets and rebates are set by the City and should be confirmed before closing.
Every owner of residential property in Toronto must declare the property's occupancy status each year. A property found vacant, or for which no declaration is made, may be charged the tax.
Since March 31, 2024, multi-tenant houses are permitted city-wide in Toronto and operators must hold a City licence and meet property standards and fire-safety requirements.
Apartment buildings with three or more storeys and ten or more units must register with RentSafeTO and meet its maintenance, cleaning, pest-management and communication requirements.
Short-term rentals (under 28 consecutive days) are permitted only in an operator's principal residence and require City registration, with the registration number displayed in listings.
Tenancies in Toronto are governed by the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Rent increases, deposits, entry, notices and termination follow the Act, and disputes are heard by the Landlord and Tenant Board.
This information is general and educational. It is not legal, tax, accounting or investment advice, and rules change. Confirm requirements with the relevant authority or a qualified professional before acting.
Questions
We review enquiries for existing residential property across the City of Toronto, from downtown condominiums to houses in North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke. The neighbourhoods on this page describe the city's main housing areas; they are not a list of offices or of properties we hold.
It depends on when the unit was first occupied. Units first occupied for residential purposes after November 15, 2018 are exempt from the annual rent-increase guideline. Other rules in the Residential Tenancies Act, such as notice periods and the 12-month rule, still apply.
Yes. Room rentals are common in Toronto. Whether the Residential Tenancies Act applies depends on whether you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner who lives there. Our rooms page explains the difference.
No. The Municipal Land Transfer Tax applies only to properties within the City of Toronto. Purchases elsewhere pay the provincial Land Transfer Tax, subject to any rebates.
Nearby markets
Nine municipalities north of Toronto, from new towers at the subway's end to small towns and farmland.
Peel, Halton and Durham: the cities and towns that ring Toronto, each with its own rules.
Century homes, a working harbour, and a rental market shaped by two major institutions.
Toronto