The Ontario Renovates program aims to increase the supply of affordable and accessible housing units by providing qualifying private landlords with funding to make accessibility modifications to their existing rental units.
Financial assistance is available in the form of a 15-year forgivable loan of $15,000 per rental unit, up to a maximum of $100,000 for ten units per property.
Before you begin
Before you begin
Funding
- Total amount of loan is dependent on the number of units requiring accessibility modifications in the building and the scope of work approved by the Housing Services
- To earn loan forgiveness, rent levels must be maintained at or below the Average Market Rent (AMR) for Ottawa for the full 15 years
- The loan will be forgiven each year at 6.67 per cent
- Eligible landlords can only receive one loan per unit
- A second mortgage must be registered on the approved property for all forgivable loans valued at $25,000 or more
- Funding is limited and available on a first-come-first served basis until March 31, 2024
What you need
What you need
In order to apply you will need to provide the following documents:
- Completed application form with all required signatures
- Copy of government issued photo ID for all property owners
- Copy of property tax paid up-to-date
- Copy of mortgage information up-to-date
- Copy of property insurance policy up-to-date
- Copy of rent roll
Eligibility
Eligibility
Your rental property may be eligible if it is:
- Located in the City of Ottawa
- A modest unit relative to other units in the community in size and amenities;
- Affordable based on the Average Market Rent (AMR) for Ottawa as established by
- Not at the same municipal address as the landlord's residence
The table below provides the maximum rental rate for the year based on size of the unit.
| Unit size | Rental rate |
|---|---|
| Bachelor | $1,122.00 |
| One-bedroom unit | $1,347.00 |
| Two-bedroom unit | $1,625.00 |
| Three-bedroom unit | $1,947.00 |
Accessibility modifications
Eligible accessibility repairs may include:
- Ramps
- Handrails
- Chair and bath lifts
- Countertop height adjustments countertops
- Doorbells and fire alarms
- Accessibility modifications must comply with The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 and Ontario Building Code requirements.
Ineligible projects
The following projects are not eligible for funding:
- Retirement Homes, Long-Term Care Homes (including nursing homes), and crisis care facilities
- Units not subject to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (except shelters and transitional housing that house victims of domestic violence)
- Projects that received funding under AHP (2005), AHP Extension (2009) – Rental and Supportive and IAH – Rental Housing, IAH Extension (2014) and OPHI.
- Units for which the homeowner received Homeownership component funding under the AHP or IAH
- Social Housing units as defined under the Housing Services Act, 2011
What’s next
What’s next
After you apply, Housing Services will contact you to review your application. You may be asked to provide missing information. You must provide this information as a condition of your eligibility.
Release of funds
Once your application is approved for funding, you will be required to sign a Funding Agreement document with Housing Services. The funding agreement outlines the total amount funded, and the terms and conditions attached to the use and release of funds.
Any repairs made prior to written loan approval are not eligible and will not be reimbursed.
Use of funds
Funding can only be used for the purposes outlined in the Funding Agreement with the City of Ottawa’s Housing Services. If the cost of the necessary modifications is more than the maximum amount of the loan, the property owner is responsible to cover the additional cost.
Annual update
Housing Services will follow up with you on an annual basis to ensure the funded units remain affordable. If you sell or increase the rent beyond AMR within 15 years of receiving a forgivable loan, you will be required to pay back to the City all or a portion of the loan.
Apply
Apply
- Print and complete the application form [PDF - 162KB] and provide all necessary documents.
- Submit completed application and supporting documents by:
Email
ontariorenovates@ottawa.ca
Mail/In-person
City of Ottawa
Housing Services
Ontario Renovates program
100 Constellation Drive, 2nd Floor East
Ottawa, ON, K2G 6J8
Contact
Contact
Contact Housing Services by email or phone for any inquiry or to request a mailed copy of the application form.
Phone
613-580-2424 ext. 12300 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. TTY: 613-580-2401