Renting in Orillia in 2026

Orillia is a city of 33,411 residents as of the 2021 Census, up 7.2% from 2016 — one of the faster-growing small cities in Ontario's Huronia region. It sits at the confluence of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe, about 90 minutes north of Toronto and roughly half an hour northeast of Barrie, the nearer regional hub.

Orillia's economy and rental demand are shaped by Casino Rama Resort just outside the city, the OPP's provincial headquarters, and a regional hospital, alongside a growing base of Toronto-area retirees and remote workers drawn by the waterfront setting. Housing stock mixes historic homes near the downtown core and lakefront with newer subdivisions on the city's outskirts, and rental demand has climbed alongside population growth in recent years.

The local economy runs on the following:

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  Casino Rama Resort — one of the region's largest employers (reported staff counts range from roughly 1,100 to 2,500+ depending on the source and year), on Chippewas of Rama First Nation land just outside the city, operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment
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  Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) General Headquarters
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  Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital (OSMH) — 900+ staff
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  Lakehead University Orillia campus and Georgian College Orillia campus
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  City of Orillia (municipal government)

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  Orillia Opera House (historic theatre, over a century old)
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  Centennial Park and the Port of Orillia marina on Lake Couchiching
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  Tudhope Park (waterfront park and summer festival grounds)
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  Champlain Monument in Couchiching Beach Park

Every rental in Orillia is governed by the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act. Key rules that apply regardless of town size:

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  Rent increases are capped by the annual provincial guideline.Most existing tenancies can only be raised once every 12 months, up to that year's guideline percentage, with 90 days' written notice.
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  No separate damage deposit.Landlords may only collect last month's rent as a deposit; it cannot be used for damage.
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  Landlord entry requires 24 hours' written notice.For repairs, showings, or inspections.
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  Disputes go to the LTB.Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board handles applications from both landlords and tenants.
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  No legally required move-in inspection report.A written move-in inspection is good practice but is not an Ontario RTA requirement.

Deep guides for each of these topics are in the SQRFT guide library.

• Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile
• Simcoe County District School Board
• Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board
• Ontario LTB