A Canadian Proof of Residency Letter is a formal written statement from a landlord, property owner, or property manager confirming that a specific individual resides at a particular address. This letter serves as third-party verification of a person's residential address and is widely accepted by government agencies, financial institutions, schools, and other organizations across Canada.

In Canada, proof of residency is frequently required for various administrative and legal purposes. Provincial government services such as health insurance enrolment (OHIP in Ontario under the Health Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.6; MSP in British Columbia under the Medicare Protection Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 286), driver's licence applications, and voter registration all require proof of address. The Canada Elections Act (S.C. 2000, c. 9) requires electors to prove their identity and address at polling stations, and a landlord's letter of confirmation is one of the accepted forms of address verification.

The letter is typically written by the property owner or landlord and provides key details including the tenant's full name, the address of the premises, the date the tenant began residing there, and reference to the lease agreement. While the letter itself is not a statutory document, it carries legal significance because the landlord is attesting to facts under their name. Providing false information in such a letter could potentially constitute fraud under the Criminal Code of Canada (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46) or give rise to civil liability.

A Canadian Proof of Residency Letter is needed in many common situations across all provinces and territories. The most frequent uses include enrolling children in public school (provincial education acts generally require proof that the child lives within the school board's boundaries), applying for or renewing provincial health insurance coverage, obtaining a provincial driver's licence or identification card, opening a bank account or applying for financial products, and registering to vote in municipal, provincial, or federal elections.

Government agencies such as Service Canada, Service Ontario, ICBC (British Columbia), and Service Alberta frequently require proof of address as part of their identification verification process. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may also request proof of Canadian residency as part of immigration applications or citizenship applications under the Citizenship Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-29).

The letter may also be needed for insurance purposes, as auto and property insurance companies often require proof of the insured person's address. Employers may request proof of address for payroll and benefits administration. In some cases, legal proceedings may require proof of a party's address for service of documents or jurisdictional purposes. The letter should be prepared on the date it is needed and should be current, as most institutions require proof of residency that is dated within the previous three to six months.

An effective Canadian Proof of Residency Letter must include several key elements to be credible and accepted by requesting institutions. The letter must be written on the landlord's letterhead (if available) or clearly identify the landlord by full legal name and address. The landlord should state their capacity as the property owner, property manager, or authorized representative.

The letter must identify the tenant by full legal name and specify the exact address of the premises, including the unit or apartment number, street address, municipality, province, and postal code. The date the tenant began residing at the premises must be stated, along with any reference to the lease agreement (agreement number and execution date). This establishes the duration of residency, which is important for many applications.

If other individuals reside with the tenant (family members, roommates), their names and the date they began residing at the premises should be included if relevant to the request. The letter should list any supporting documents being provided, such as utility bills, bank statements, or property tax assessments.

The landlord must sign and date the letter, and should include their contact information for verification purposes. An optional witness acknowledgment adds credibility; the witness should be an independent third party who can verify the tenant's residency. The witness must provide their full name and address. While notarization is not typically required, some institutions may request a notarized version or a statutory declaration under the Canada Evidence Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-5) for higher-stakes applications.