Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB)
This gives you money each month, paid right to you, to help pay rent in Ontario. Because it follows you and not a building, you can take it anywhere in Ontario. The amount uses a set formula based on local rent and your income. Some people also get help with first and last month's rent.
What you get
Monthly money toward your rent
Who it's for
You qualify if you are on, or could be on, a social housing waiting list, or you live in community housing and are in financial need.
This takes you to the official website
What to have ready
Documents they may ask for
- Government ID for everyone in your household, if available
- A copy of your lease or rent agreement
- Recent rent receipt, ledger, or proof of what you owe
- Recent pay stubs, benefit statement, or income proof
- ODSP, Ontario Works, CPP, OAS, or other benefit statement if you have one
- Recent bank statement, if the program asks for it
What to say when you call
“Hi, I found your housing support program and I want to check if I can apply. Can you tell me the current rules, documents needed, and the next step?”
Use the official page first, then call 211 if you are not sure where to start.
Can I get this?
You have a good chance if this sounds like you:
- You must have applied for permanent residence or made a refugee claim with no removal order
What to do next
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The fine print
More details about the money
Monthly benefit = (the greater of 80% of Average Market Rent (AMR) in the Service Manager's area OR your shelter costs (rent plus utilities), capped at 100% AMR) minus 30% of your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI). The dollar amount varies by region and income. Some approved households may also receive first and last month's rent assistance.
Amounts and eligibility change. Confirm the current figure with the program administrator through the official link before you rely on it.
The full eligibility rules
Households in need that are on, or eligible to be on, a social housing waiting list, or community-housing households in financial need. Priority is given to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, Indigenous persons, seniors, people with disabilities, and households losing housing assistance because their social housing agreement is expiring. Household members must have applied for permanent residence or made a refugee protection claim with no enforceable removal order.
Good to know
Benefit formula, priority populations, and the Service-Manager-to-Ministry-of-Finance application path confirmed on the Ontario NHS Third Action Plan (2025-2028) program page. AMR figures are set per Service Manager area and change over time, so the actual dollar amount is region- and income-specific. COHB absorbed the earlier Portable Housing Benefit-Special Priority Policy (PHB-SPP) households in 2020. Application is intermediated by the local Service Manager, not a direct online portal.
Official sources we checked
- https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontarios-third-action-plan-under-national-housing-strategy-2025-2028/nhs-programs
- https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontarios-second-action-plan-under-national-housing-strategy-2022-25/taking-action
- https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/strong-communities-rent-supplement-program-scrsp-program-and-funding-information
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