Moving
What's the penalty for breaking a lease in Canada?
No province imposes an automatic flat penalty. You're generally liable only for the landlord's actual loss — rent until the unit is re-rented plus reasonable re-renting costs — and the landlord has a legal duty to try to re-rent and reduce what you owe.
By the LeasePlain Editorial Team · Checked against Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act per our editorial standards·Last reviewed August 2026
A fixed 'lease-break fee' is only enforceable if it's a genuine estimate of the landlord's costs, not a punishment. The strongest move is usually to assign or sublet rather than simply move out.
Many provinces also allow early termination for domestic or family violence, usually with shortened notice and supporting documentation.