The Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) is a monthly payment that helps low-income households pay rent in the private market. It is funded by Ontario and the federal government, and the Ontario Ministry of Finance pays it directly to you each month. The benefit is “portable”: it stays with you, not the apartment, so you keep it if you move within Ontario.
How much you’ll get
There is no set amount. Ontario’s program guidelines use this formula:
- Take 80% of the average market rent for a suitable unit in your area.
- Subtract 30% of your household’s adjusted family net income, divided by 12.
- The result is your monthly benefit.
The benefit can’t be more than 80% of the average market rent minus the minimum rent-geared-to-income amount. If the formula gives less than $10 a month, nothing is paid that month.
Example: say 80% of the average market rent for a one-bedroom in your area works out to $1,200. A single person with $18,000 in adjusted net income pays 30% of that, $5,400 a year, or $450 a month. The benefit would be about $1,200 minus $450, or $750 a month. The average market rent comes from CMHC and is different in every area, so your figure will be different.
If you get Ontario Works or ODSP: your shelter allowance is paid as usual, and COHB covers the gap between that allowance and your actual rent and utilities, up to the COHB maximum. Tell the Ministry of Finance whenever your rent changes.
If you move to another part of Ontario, your benefit may change because the average market rent is different there.
Who qualifies
COHB isn’t open to everyone who rents. Your household must:
- be on your local social housing waiting list, or qualify to be on it, or live in community housing
- not get rent-geared-to-income help, another COHB benefit or any other government housing benefit (Ontario Works and ODSP shelter payments are allowed)
- agree to be taken off the social housing waiting list if you are approved
- not live in a home owned by someone in the household. If you own a home, you must move out within 90 days and sell it within 12 months of being approved.
- live in Ontario and rent your home
Each year, the province lets every local housing office (called a service manager) enrol a limited number of households. Priority groups include survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, Indigenous people, seniors and people with disabilities.
How to get it
You can’t apply to the province directly. Your municipal or district housing office chooses who is offered COHB. In Toronto, Peel and Niagara, for example, there is no public application. Households are referred by the city or region or by partner agencies.
- Get on your local social housing waiting list, if you aren’t already on it. Ask your housing office whether it is taking COHB referrals.
- If you are offered COHB, fill in the application with your housing office. Include direct deposit details. You can also ask for the payment to go straight to your landlord.
- The Ministry of Finance checks your eligibility, often using your tax information from the CRA. It then sends you an Eligibility Notice with your monthly amount.
Payments can start from the first day of the month after you sign the application. If your application is incomplete, the ministry pays you back to that start date once everything is in.
Everyone 18 and over in your household must file a tax return every year. Without it, the benefit can’t be worked out.
What changed in 2026
Ontario hasn’t announced changes to how COHB is worked out for 2026. Local housing offices, including Toronto and Peel, are choosing households for the 2026-27 program year. In Toronto, referrals come only from approved community agencies.
Renewal, late or missing payments
Renew every year. Each spring, usually in May, the Ministry of Finance sends a renewal form by email or mail. Check the details, update any changes to your household, address, rent or income, and send it back. The City of Toronto gives these deadlines:
- If you haven’t renewed by June 30, payments stop until you do.
- If you haven’t renewed by September 1, you lose the benefit and can’t be put back on it.
If you didn’t get a renewal form, call the Ministry of Finance at 1-888-544-5101.
Payment timing: Ontario’s guidelines say payments are made by the 28th of each month, mostly by direct deposit. If yours hasn’t arrived by the end of the 28th, check with your bank, then call the Ministry of Finance at 1-888-544-5101 (TTY 1-800-263-7776).
Payments can also be held if:
- your address or bank details are out of date
- you are away from Ontario for more than 60 days in a row
- your renewal is late or incomplete
Mail renewal forms to: Portable Housing Benefit, c/o Ontario Ministry of Finance, 33 King St. W., PO Box 628, Oshawa ON L1H 8J6.
Each February, the ministry sends a T5007 slip showing what you got, for your tax return. If your benefit works out to $0 for 24 months in a row, you are removed from the program.
Watch for scams. The government never asks for fees, gift cards or passwords by text or email. If you get a message about your housing benefit, don’t click the link. Call 1-888-544-5101 yourself.
Other help you might be missing
- Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP): income and shelter support for adults with disabilities. It can be combined with COHB.
- Ontario Works: monthly help with basic needs and shelter. It can also be combined with COHB.
- Ontario Trillium Benefit: includes the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, which renters can get when they file taxes.
- Ontario GAINS: a monthly top-up for low-income seniors on OAS and GIS.
- Ontario Child Benefit: a monthly payment for families with children, paid with the Canada Child Benefit.
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: the renamed GST/HST credit, paid four times a year.
Common questions
When is the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit paid?
Monthly. Ontario’s guidelines say payments are made by the 28th of each month. The Ministry of Finance doesn’t publish exact dates.
How do I apply for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit?
Through your local municipal or district housing office, not the province. Many areas only take referrals, so ask your housing office or a support agency you work with.
How much is COHB?
It depends on your income and the local average market rent. The formula is 80% of the average market rent minus 30% of your monthly adjusted income.
Can I get COHB on ODSP or Ontario Works?
Yes. COHB fills the gap between your shelter allowance and your actual rent and utilities, up to the maximum.
What happens if I miss the COHB renewal?
Payments pause after June 30, and you lose the benefit for good if the renewal isn’t in by September 1.
Can the payment go to my landlord?
Yes. You can ask the Ministry of Finance to pay your landlord directly. Your landlord must agree.