A Canadian Eviction Notice for Non-Payment of Rent is a formal written notice from a landlord to a tenant requiring the tenant to pay outstanding rent arrears or vacate the rental premises within the period prescribed by provincial legislation. Unlike the United States, where many states use standardized 3-day or 5-day pay-or-quit notices, Canada does not have a uniform national eviction process. Each province and territory governs evictions through its own Residential Tenancies Act, with notice periods, prescribed forms, and procedures that vary significantly across jurisdictions.

In Ontario, the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (S.O. 2006, c. 17) requires landlords to use the prescribed Form N4 (Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-Payment of Rent) issued by the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). The N4 notice requires 14 days notice and must state the exact amount of rent arrears owing. The landlord cannot include any charges other than rent on the N4 — late fees, utility charges, and damage claims cannot be included. If the tenant pays the full arrears before the termination date, the notice is automatically voided under s. 59(3). The landlord must then file an L1 application with the LTB to obtain an eviction order.

British Columbia's Residential Tenancy Act (S.B.C. 2002, c. 78) requires 10 days notice for non-payment of rent under s. 46. The tenant can cancel the notice by paying all unpaid rent and any applicable filing fees within 5 days of receiving the notice. Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act (S.A. 2004, c. R-17.1) provides 14 days for non-payment under s. 14. Saskatchewan requires 15 days, Manitoba requires 14 days, and Quebec follows its own procedure through the Tribunal administratif du logement under the Civil Code of Quebec. Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities — is illegal in every Canadian province and carries significant penalties.

A Canadian Eviction Notice for Non-Payment of Rent is needed when a tenant has failed to pay rent on the date it was due under the tenancy agreement and the landlord wishes to commence the formal eviction process. This is the first step in the legal process — the landlord cannot apply to the provincial tribunal for an eviction order without first serving the proper notice.

The notice is required when the tenant has missed one or more rent payments and the landlord has been unable to resolve the matter through informal communication. In Ontario, the landlord can serve the N4 notice the day after rent is due — there is no grace period required by the Residential Tenancies Act. However, many landlords choose to wait several days before serving the notice as a practical matter. In BC, the landlord can serve the 10-day notice immediately after the rent due date has passed.

This notice is also necessary when rent has been consistently paid late and the landlord wants to establish a formal record of non-payment. While a single late payment does not typically warrant eviction proceedings, persistent non-payment creates a pattern that strengthens the landlord's case at a tribunal hearing. In Ontario, persistent late payment can also support a separate N8 notice (Notice to End a Tenancy at the End of the Term for repeated late payment).

The notice must be served before any application to the provincial tribunal. In Ontario, the landlord must wait until the termination date has passed and the tenant has not paid before filing the L1 application with the LTB. The landlord has 30 days from the termination date on the N4 to file the L1 application. If the landlord misses this deadline, a new N4 must be served.

A valid Canadian Eviction Notice for Non-Payment of Rent must comply with the specific requirements of the applicable provincial legislation. In Ontario, the notice must use the prescribed Form N4 issued by the LTB — generic notices or custom-formatted letters will be rejected. The form requires: the landlord's name and address; the tenant's name; the address of the rental unit; the termination date (minimum 14 days from the date of service); and the exact amount of rent arrears owing, broken down by rental period.

The amount of arrears must be calculated accurately. In Ontario, the N4 can only include rent — not utility charges, late fees, NSF cheque charges, or damage claims. Including non-rent charges on the N4 is a common error that results in the notice being dismissed at the LTB hearing. The landlord should calculate arrears by listing each month of unpaid rent separately and providing a total. In BC, the notice must specify the amount of rent owing and the period it covers.

Service of the notice must comply with provincial requirements. In Ontario, the notice can be served by: (a) handing it directly to the tenant; (b) leaving it in the mailbox or sliding it under the door; or (c) sending it by mail (add 5 days for mailing). In BC, service can be personal, by registered mail, or by leaving a copy at the tenant's door. The landlord should always retain proof of service — a witness statement, Canada Post tracking confirmation, or a timestamped photograph of the notice at the door.

The termination date must be calculated correctly and must fall on or after the last day of a rental period in some provinces. In Ontario, the 14-day period starts the day after service — if the notice is served on January 1, the earliest termination date is January 15. The notice must also inform the tenant that they can void the notice by paying the full arrears before the termination date, and that the landlord must apply to the LTB for an eviction order. Including the tenant's rights and the contact information for the applicable provincial tribunal is considered best practice and is required in some jurisdictions.