Starting an Ontario tenancy? Find the current standard lease here
Use Ontario’s guide, maintained form page, and current Act instead of relying on an old lease file or third-party download.
If you are preparing a new Ontario tenancy, start with the current official standard-lease materials before you download, reuse, or complete a form. This is general information, not legal, tax, accounting, or professional advice. It does not decide whether a standard lease applies to a particular tenancy or tell you how to complete an agreement.
Start with Ontario’s guide
Ontario’s Guide to Ontario’s standard lease is the best first stop. It explains that the guide is intended to help landlords and tenants understand the Standard Form of Lease, and it links to the current form. The guide also lists categories it says the standard lease does not apply to. That is a reason to read the current source for your facts, not a reason to assume a category applies to your tenancy.
Use the official form page, not a saved copy
From the guide, open Ontario’s Residential Tenancy Agreement (Standard Form of Lease) page. The Central Forms Repository describes it as a residential tenancy agreement (standard lease) and lists current English and French downloads. Use that maintained page to find the current material instead of relying on an old file in email or on a third-party site.
Keep the Act open for the source question
The current Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 has Part II, “Tenancy Agreements,” including sections 12 and 12.1. The Act is the governing source. Read the current consolidation alongside the guide and form page when you need to understand the source question behind an agreement.
A simple preparation list
Before opening the official materials, gather the facts you will need to check them against:
- the rental unit address and any parking or other unit details you intend to describe;
- the names and contact details you intend to use;
- the intended occupancy date and the records that explain it; and
- questions your records do not answer about the agreement or the tenancy.
This is an editorial preparation list, not an official checklist or a legally sufficient agreement. It is meant to help you read the current sources and identify where you need qualified help.
Sources and scope
Ontario’s guide and Central Forms Repository are official explanatory and form sources. The Act is the governing legal source. They were re-opened on August 5, 2026. Forms and rules can change, so re-open the original source before acting and obtain qualified advice for your facts.
From the team behind The Brief
The Brief is produced by the same team that operates EaseLease, a Canada-first rental-record tool for landlords with roughly 1–5 units. EaseLease helps organize property, unit and tenant records, income and expenses, receipts, reminders, and exports. It does not create leases, select forms, screen tenants, or provide legal, tax, or accounting advice.