Retirement Homes and Tenancy Issues - Introduction

If you are an Ontario senior living in a rented room, apartment, or house, you can find information about your rights and obligations as a tenant in publications on this website and at other websites to which we are linked including Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO).

You may live in a home where you pay the landlord for a room or apartment and for care services and meals. Although most people call these homes “retirement homes”, they are called “care homes” in the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 is the Ontario legislation that regulates landlords and tenants. Under this legislation, tenants in care homes have the same rights and obligations as other tenants in Ontario with a few important exceptions.

Many people do not understand the difference between a retirement home (care home) and a nursing home. A special pamphlet prepared by ACE explains the differences. Another pamphlet prepared by ACE tells you what to look for if you are shopping for a care home.

Please, see our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), ACE Publications or Links pages to find additional useful information on this topic.