Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit

The Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit provides monthly financial help for eligible households to make rent more affordable. 

On this page

• What is the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB)?
• How it works
• Who is eligible?
• How to apply
• Questions

What is the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB)? 

• COHB helps make rent more affordable for people who need it 
• If you qualify, you get money each month to help pay your rent 
• The amount depends on your income and family size 
• COHB is portable, so you can keep receiving it even if you move anywhere in Ontario 
• To get COHB, you need to be on, or able to get on, the Centralized Waiting List
• The amount can change if your income, household size, or address changes 

How it works

• The Province of Ontario administers the program, and the benefit amount is reviewed every year 
• You must renew every year 
• Households cannot be receiving COHB, Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing, or any other form of housing benefit at the same time 
• If you accept COHB, you agree to be removed from the Centralized Waiting List, unless you are approved for Special Priority Status

Who is eligible? 

• People who live in Ontario and are on (or eligible for) the Centralized Waiting List for housing 
• People not already receiving Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing or another housing subsidy 

Priority is often given to:  

• Survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking 
• People experiencing or at risk of homelessness 
• Indigenous people 
• Seniors 
• People with disabilities 
• Young Adults