Close Alert Banner
Close Old Browser Notification
Browser Compatibility Notification
It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.
Skip to Content
Region of Durham Logo
Contact Us
Engage
  • Living Here
    • 311 – Connecting you to our services
    • A to Z Services
    • Accessibility
    • Age-Friendly Durham
    • Animal Services and Control
    • Climate, Energy and Resilience
    • Conservation Authorities
    • Counselling
    • Crime Prevention and Public Safety
    • Early Learning and Child Care
    • Education and Schools
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Emergency Services
    • Emergency Social Services
    • Food Banks
    • Housing and Homelessness
    • Libraries
    • Living with Low-Income
    • Long Term Care and Adult Day Programs
    • View More...
    View our Garbage and Recycling page

    Garbage and Recycling

    View our My Property page

    My Property

    View our Roads and Traffic page

    Roads and Traffic

  • Discovering Durham
    • About Durham Region
    • Arts and Culture
    • Bike Month
    • Cycling and Walking
    • E-mobility
    • Local Food and Farmers' Markets
    • Maps
    • New to Durham Region
    • Parks, Trails and Conservation Areas
    • Spectator Sports
    • Sport Tourism
    • Sports and Recreation
    • Tourism
    • Tourism Festival and Events Calendar
    • Transportation and Transit
    View our Tourism page

    Tourism

    View our Tourism Festival and Events calendar

    Tourism Festival and Events Calendar

    View our Transportation and Transit page

    Transportation and Transit

  • Doing Business
    • Applications, Licences and Permits
    • As-Built Drawing Request
    • Bid Opportunities
    • Business Directory
    • Business Count
    • Community Social Investment Framework
    • Construction and Your Business
    • Construction Liens
    • Design and Construction Specifications
    • Economic Development
    • Events
    • Garbage and Recycling Collection on Private Property
    • Housing
    • Municipal Consent
    • Operating a Child Care Centre
    • Planning and Development
    • Public Health Inspections for Businesses
    • Purchasing
    • Project Reports, Studies and Plans
    • View More...
    View our Agriculture page

    Agriculture

    View our Business Directory page

    Business Directory

    View our Purchasing page

    Purchasing

  • Health and Wellness
    • Alcohol, Cannabis, Drugs and Smoking
    • Babies and Toddlers
    • Child Health and School-Age Children
    • Clinics and Classes Calendar
    • COVID-19 Update
    • Domestic Violence
    • Dental and Oral Health
    • Environment and Your Health
    • Health Care Professionals
    • Health Check-Up, Performance Reports and Health Plans
    • Health Information Services
    • Healthy Living
    • Illness, Infection and Disease
    • Immunizations and Vaccines
    • Injury Prevention and Safety
    • Mental Health
    • MPOX
    • Pregnancy
    • Public Health Inspections and Investigations
    • View More...
    Launch the Durham Region COVID-19 Data Tracker

    COVID-19 Data Tracker

    View our Health Care Professionals page

    Health Care Professionals

    View our Report Immunizations Online page

    Report Immunizations Online

  • Regional Government
    • A to Z Services
    • Access to Information
    • Accountability and Transparency
    • Awards
    • Budget and Financial
    • By-Laws
    • Careers and Volunteering
    • CityStudio Durham
    • Community Engagement
    • Community Safety and Well-Being Plan
    • Contact Us
    • Court and Traffic Tickets (Provincial Offences)
    • COVID-19 Information and Resources
    • COVID-19 Recovery Framework and Action Plan
    • Departments
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Durham Region 101
    • Durham Region Strategic Plan
    • Durham Works
    • View More...
    View our Council page

    Council

    View our Open Data page

    Open Data

    View our Regional Services map

    Regional Services

I'd Like To...

Apply or Register For

  • Applications, Licences and Permits
  • Bidding Opportunities
  • Careers and Volunteering
  • Freedom of Information Request
  • Housing

Learn About

  • A to Z Services
  • Being New to Durham Region
  • Budget
  • By-Laws
  • Council
  • Durham Region Transit
  • Public Health Inspections

Report an Issue

  • By-Law Infraction
  • Downed Sign
  • Health Protection Complaint
  • Illegal Dumping
  • Missed Garbage or Recycling Pickup
View our Twitter Page View our Facebook Page View our YouTube Page view our LinkedIn page

Mother and daughter sitting on couch reading

Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing (RGI)

HomeLiving HereHousing and HomelessnessRent-Geared-to-Income Housing (RGI)
Decrease text size Default text size Increase text size
Print this page
Share this page
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Housing and Homelessness
    • Accessible (Modified) Housing
    • Apply for Housing
      • Affordable Housing
      • Other Community Housing Providers
      • Seniors' Housing
    • At Home in Durham
    • DASH Login
    • Downtown Oshawa Support
    • Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH)
    • Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation
    • Homeless Supports
      • Emergency Shelters for Victims of Violence
      • Homeless Hubs and Street Outreach
    • Homelessness Coordinated Access System
    • Housing Supports
      • Renter's Toolkit
    • New Housing Projects
    • Regional Review Panel
    • Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing (RGI)
      • Community Housing Properties
    • Resources for Community Housing Providers
  • 311 – Connecting you to our services
  • A to Z Services
  • Accessibility
    • Accessible and Specialized Transit
    • Accessible (Modified) Housing
    • Accessible Pedestrian Crossings
    • Children with Special Needs and Concerns
  • Age-Friendly Durham
    • Virtual Seniors' Learning Series
  • Animal Services and Control
    • Insects, Rodents and Bites
    • Rabies
  • Climate, Energy and Resilience
    • Adaptation and Resilience
    • Greening Regional Operations
    • Low Carbon Pathway
    • Natural Environment
    • Nuclear Generation in Durham
    • Roundtable on Climate Change
  • Conservation Authorities
  • Counselling
    • Adults with Developmental Disabilities - Services
    • Crisis Debriefing
    • Domestic Violence
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Individual, Couple and Family Counselling
  • Crime Prevention and Public Safety
    • Bullying
    • Domestic Violence
    • Elder Abuse
  • Early Learning and Child Care
    • Child Care Fee Help (Subsidy)
    • Children with Special Concerns and Needs
    • Data in the Early Years
    • EarlyON Child and Family Centres
    • Finding Quality Child Care
    • Operating a Child Care Centre
    • Regional Early Learning and Child Care Centres
    • Resources for Child Care Professionals
  • Education and Schools
  • Emergency Preparedness
    • Business Preparedness
    • Emergency Alerts
    • Emergency Evacuation Centres
    • Emergency Kits
    • Emergency Plans
    • Know Your Risks
    • Nuclear Preparedness
    • Potassium Iodide (KI) Tablets
    • Ready in Durham: Expert Advice
    • Stay in Touch in an Emergency
  • Emergency Services
    • Ambulance and Paramedics
    • Car Seat Safety and Booster Seats
    • Community Paramedicine
    • Community Partners
    • Designated Officers
    • Fire
    • Police
    • Public Access to Defibrillators
    • When to Call 911
  • Emergency Social Services
  • Food Banks
  • Libraries
  • Living with Low-Income
    • Canada Learning Bond (RESP)
    • Child Care Fee Help (Subsidy)
    • Child Support
    • Credit and Debt Management
    • Dental and Oral Health
    • Disability Tax Credits and Benefits
    • Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH)
    • Durham Community Legal Clinic
    • File Your Taxes
    • Food Banks
    • Housing Outreach, Eviction Prevention and Utility and Rent Arrears Resources
    • Low and No-Cost Banking
    • Low-Cost Internet
    • Low Cost and Subsidized Recreation Programs
    • Tenant Insurance
  • Long Term Care and Adult Day Programs
    • Adult Day Programs
    • Long-Term Care Homes
      • Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 (FLTCA)
    • Long-Term Care Homes COVID-19 Update
    • Respite Care
    • Submit a Comment, Concern, or Complaint
    • Volunteer in one of our homes
  • My Property
    • Basement Flooding
    • By-Laws
    • Call Before You Dig
    • Garbage and Recycling
    • Land Development and Land Division
    • Private Wells
    • Permits
    • Property Taxes
    • Sewage and Septic Systems
    • Tree By-Law
    • Water Billing
    • Water Efficiency
  • Ontario Works (Social Assistance)
    • Additional Benefits
    • Emergency Shelters
    • Employment Supports
    • Food Banks
    • Housing, Shelters and Homelessness
    • How to Complete an Income Statement
    • MyBenefits
    • Ontario Works Payment Dates
    • Spousal and Child Support Assistance
    • Supports in the Community
  • Planning for Growth
  • Regional Cycling Plan 2021
  • Roads and Traffic
    • Automated Speed Enforcement
    • Cycling and Walking
    • Depot Locations
    • Durham Vision Zero
      • Crossrides
      • Line Painting
      • Pedestrian Crossovers
    • Parking
    • Red Light Cameras
    • Regional Road Maintenance
    • Regional Roads List
    • Regional Storm Sewers
    • Report an Issue
    • Road and Traffic Safety
    • Road Construction and Closures
    • Road, Filming and Banner Permits
    • Traffic Signals
    • Transportation and Transit
    • Traffic Watch Map
    • Weight Restriction Season
  • Source Water Protection
  • Transportation and Transit
  • Water and Sewer
    • About Water
      • York Durham Regional Environmental Lab
      • Fire Flow Testing
    • Backflow Prevention Program
    • Basement Flooding
    • Call Before You Dig
    • Connection Permits
    • Imagine a Day Without Water
    • Lead Service Replacement Program
    • Private Wells
    • Programs and Initiatives
    • Regional Storm Sewers
    • Report a Water Problem
    • Sewer Back Up
    • Wastewater and Sewers
      • Biosolids
    • Water Billing and Rates
    • Water Efficiency
    • Water Meters
    • Water Theft

Rent-geared-to-income (RGI) is a type of housing assistance. It lets you pay about 30 per cent of your income for rent. There are RGI units at all social housing providers in Durham Region. Some private landlords offer RGI.

Apply for RGI

There is a long wait list for RGI. To apply, you must complete an application form and return it to Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH). DASH runs the wait list for RGI and modified units.

If you are eligible for RGI, you will be placed on the DASH wait list. Most people need to find their own rental housing in the private market while they are on the wait list because the wait can be very long.

Print an application for RGI.

Find out more about the DASH wait list.

 Basic RGI eligibility
 

You may be eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) if:

  • You are able to live independently with or without support services.

  • You are over 16 years old.

  • You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or a refugee claimant, or you are applying to become a permanent resident.

  • You are not under a removal order to leave Canada.

  • You do not owe money to any social housing provider in Ontario, or you have an agreement to repay this money.

  • Your income and assets are within the allowable limits.

 Asset limits
 

To be eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI), you cannot have assets of more than $50,000 if you are a single person or more than $75,000 if you are a family.

Some assets are not considered. These include personal items, such as clothing and furniture, vehicles, RRSPs, Retirement Income Funds, Life Income Funds, life annuities, and assets as a result of pain and suffering awards.

 Income limits
 

To be eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI), you cannot have income of more than:

  • $48,000 for a one bedroom or bachelor unit

  • $54,000 for a two bedroom unit

  • $60,000 for a three bedroom unit

  • $74,500 for a four or five bedroom unit.

Your income limit applies to the largest unit that you are allowed to move into, even if you move to a smaller unit.

 Occupancy standards
 

There are rules about the size of the rent-geared-to-income (RGI) unit you can move into. Normally you cannot live in an RGI unit that has more than one bedroom per person; spouses are expected to share a bedroom. You cannot normally live in an RGI unit smaller than one bedroom for every two people.

You can request an additional bedroom if:

  • you and your spouse are unable to share a room because of a disability or medical condition

  • you need an extra room to store medical or disability-related equipment

  • you are disabled and looking for a roommate.

 How RGI is calculated
 

RGI is normally about 30 per cent of your total gross monthly income.  Gross income is your income before taxes. If you receive Ontario Works or ODSP, your RGI may be calculated at a set amount.

There are rules about how RGI is calculated. Your housing provider must follow the rules set out in:

  • Housing Services Act

  • Durham Social Housing Directives

  • RGI Guide

 Information for RGI tenants and co-op members
 

If you live in an RGI unit with a social housing provider or a private landlord, you have the same rights and responsibilities as other tenants. If you live in an RGI unit in a co-op, you have the same rights and responsibilities as all members in your co-op.

 Reporting changes
 

You must tell your housing provider right away if your income or assets change or if someone moves in or out of your unit. If you do not tell your housing provider right away you could become ineligible for RGI and have to start paying the full market rent for your unit.

 Questions or concerns
 

If you have questions or concerns, contact your housing provider or property manager directly. You can also contact the board of directors of your non-profit or co-op. If you are not able to resolve your issue, Housing Services staff  may be able to help you address your housing concerns.

 Transfer requests
 

If you want to move to another social housing provider, you can apply for a transfer. You will be placed on the DASH wait list. There are long waits for transfers. If you owe arrears for missed rent payments, you will not be eligible for a transfer.

 

If you want to apply for a transfer you must complete the Application for transfer form and give it to your housing provider.

 

If you want to move to a different unit in the same place that you live now, you do not need to complete an Application for Transfer form. Your housing provider may have rules about transfers. Contact them directly for more information or to request a transfer.

 

 

 Appeals
 

If you disagree with a decision about your RGI, you can appeal to the Regional Review Panel.

Receive email updates

Contact Us

Region of Durham logo

Living HereDiscovering DurhamDoing BusinessHealth and WellnessRegional Government

© 2023 Durham Region, 605 Rossland Road East, Whitby, Ontario L1N 6A3, Canada, Telephone (within regional limits): 311, Telephone: 905-668-7711, Toll-Free: 1-800-372-1102

HomeTerms of Use and Privacy StatementAccessibilityAccess to InformationCareersA to Z ServicesContact Us
By GHD Digital