Renting in Stratford in 2026

Stratford is a city of 33,232 residents as of the 2021 Census, up 5.6% from 2016. It's a single-tier city on the Avon River, geographically within Perth County but administratively separate from it, and serves as the county's seat. Stratford sits roughly 40-45 minutes northeast of Kitchener-Waterloo and about 50-55 minutes southwest of London, putting both mid-size cities within a reasonable commute.

Best known as home to the Stratford Festival, North America's largest classical repertory theatre, the city draws visitors and seasonal workers alongside a steady manufacturing base led by AISIN Canada and F&P Mfg. Rental demand mixes theatre-season seasonal housing with year-round demand from manufacturing, healthcare, and a University of Waterloo satellite campus, giving Stratford's market a different rhythm than a typical small Ontario city.

The local economy runs on the following:

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  Stratford Festival — North America's largest classical repertory theatre; a 2023 economic impact study found it supports roughly 1,038 local jobs in Stratford (a broader jobs-supported figure, not a direct payroll headcount)
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  AISIN Canada Inc. — automotive parts manufacturer (sunroofs, door frames, seating components) supplying Toyota/Lexus plants in Woodstock and Cambridge; the only AISIN plant in Canada
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  F&P Mfg. Inc. — automotive parts manufacturer (subframes, trailing arms, pedals)
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  C.R. Plastic Products — outdoor furniture manufacturer
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  Stratford General Hospital, part of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance
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  University of Waterloo Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business — satellite campus

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  Stratford Festival theatres (including the Festival Theatre)
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  Avon River and its resident swans
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  Stratford City Hall — National Historic Site of Canada (built 1899-1900)
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  Perth County Courthouse (1885-1887, High Victorian architecture)

Every rental in Stratford 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
• Avon Maitland District School Board
• Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board
• Ontario LTB