Can a tenant be evicted for domestic violence?

Part 4.1 of the Residential Tenancies Act lets a tenant end a tenancy early without financial penalty when the safety of the tenant, a dependent child or a protected adult is at risk. The tenant serves a notice at least 28 days before the tenancy ends, plus a certificate, and the notice must be given no later than 90 days after the certificate is issued. Rent is paid only for the notice period (prorated), and on request the landlord must apply the security deposit to that rent. The tenancy ends for all tenants on the lease, but the remaining tenants may make a new agreement with the landlord.

On the landlord's side, the Act allows 24 hours' written notice for assault or threat of assault on the landlord or another tenant, and at least 14 days' notice for a substantial breach such as disturbing or endangering others. We found nothing in the Alberta sources that treats a tenant's status as a victim as a ground for eviction.

Under section 45.1 of the Residential Tenancy Act, a tenant can end a fixed-term tenancy early on one month's notice, with no financial penalty, when fleeing family or household violence. The tenant gives a confirmation statement from an eligible person. The pages we reviewed do not list who counts as an eligible person, so ask the Residential Tenancy Branch. During a fixed term neither side can end it except for cause, by agreement or on the section 45.1 grounds.

A landlord can give a One Month Notice for Cause for grounds such as unreasonable disturbance, significant risk to property, extraordinary damage or illegal activity, and you have 10 days to dispute it. In the most urgent and serious cases the landlord can apply to end the tenancy early. We found no BC rule that treats being a victim as a ground.

The Residential Tenancies Branch lists victims of domestic or sexual violence or stalking among the tenants who can end a fixed term early. The tenant gives one full rental payment period's notice with a certificate from Victim Services of Manitoba Justice. A month-to-month tenant gives one full rental payment period's notice in any case.

On the landlord's side, a landlord must first give a written warning to correct a problem. The Branch says that if the problem is very serious, for example it threatens the health or safety of others, a landlord may give notice without a warning letter, and a notice for a significant risk or serious disturbance can take effect in 5 days. We found no Manitoba rule that protects a victim from those grounds.

Section 64.2 of the Residential Tenancies Act lets a tenant end a tenancy for interpersonal or sexual violence. The tenant serves a notice at least 28 days before the tenancy is to end and a certificate in the approved form signed by an authorized person, within 90 days of the certificate. The tenant cannot be charged liquidated damages for ending the tenancy this way.

A landlord's notice for cause takes effect no earlier than one month after receipt, and the tenant has 15 days to dispute it in writing. Grounds include jeopardizing health or safety and significant interference, and in serious cases a landlord can apply for an earlier end. We found no Saskatchewan rule that treats being a victim as a ground.

The Landlord and Tenant Board says a tenant can end a tenancy with 28 days' notice (form N15) if they believe they or a child may be harmed if they do not leave. This can be done at any time in the tenancy, including during a fixed term. The pages we reviewed do not say what proof, if any, the Board asks for, so check with the Board before you serve notice. A month-to-month tenant otherwise gives at least 60 days' notice.

A landlord can give a 20-day notice for interfering with others or damage, with a chance to fix it, or a 10-day notice for wilful damage or serious impairing of safety that cannot be voided. Either way, the landlord needs an LTB order to end the tenancy. We found no Ontario rule that treats being a victim as a ground.

Section 24.01 of the Residential Tenancies Act lets a tenant who believes their own safety, or a dependent child's, is at risk because of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence or criminal harassment end the tenancy. The tenant serves a notice of termination and a document prescribed by regulation. For a fixed term, it must be served at least one month before the end of any month, effective the last day of that month, and the landlord gets no compensation for later rent.

For the landlord, the Act sends conduct complaints through a notice stating the complaint, and a landlord can ask a residential tenancies officer to serve a notice to quit directly where the tenant has caused extensive damage or for another reason. The government lists a health or safety risk and illegal activity on site as reasons to apply to end a lease early. We found no New Brunswick rule that treats being a victim as a ground.

Section 10F of the Residential Tenancies Act lets a tenant in a year-to-year or fixed-term tenancy who is a victim of domestic violence end it by giving the landlord one month's notice to quit in the form required by the Director and a certificate issued by the Director of Victim Services. The notice must be given no later than 60 days after the certificate is issued. Nova Scotia added more domestic violence provisions in 2025, including new-lease sections, that we did not review in detail, so ask the Residential Tenancies office about them.

A landlord who wants to end a tenancy for serious interference, seriously jeopardizing health or safety, or illegal activity applies to the Director, and this goes through a hearing, not a notice. We found no Nova Scotia rule that treats being a victim as a ground.

Section 56 of the Residential Tenancy Act lets a tenant end a fixed-term tenancy early because of family violence or abuse, on one month's notice ending the day before rent is due. The tenant supplies a protection order, a peace bond or the prescribed statement. A landlord who receives family violence information with the notice must keep it confidential and destroy it securely within 60 days.

Prince Edward Island is also where we found a rule on the landlord's side. A landlord can give a for-cause notice for significantly interfering with or unreasonably disturbing others, jeopardizing health or safety, or putting property at significant risk, and for illegal activity or unreasonable damage. Section 61(2) blocks the notice for significant interference or disturbance (section 61(1)(d)), illegal activity (61(1)(e)) and unreasonable damage (61(1)(f)) where the conduct was family violence against the tenant and a protection order or the prescribed statement is in place.

Sections 25 to 27 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2018 let a tenant end a rental agreement with 30 days' notice where the tenant believes that, because of family violence, the safety of the tenant or of a child living with the tenant is at risk. The tenant applies to the Director for a certificate, and the Director decides within 5 business days. The notice must be given within 90 days of the certificate, and rent is owed only to the end of the notice.

On the landlord's side, the government guide lists notice of not less than five days for interference with peaceful enjoyment or privacy, and a written notice to fix first, then not less than one month, for a breach of a material term. We found no Newfoundland and Labrador rule that treats being a victim as a ground.