Deemed Service Date for Rent Increases: How to Calculate It in Saskatchewan

The deemed service date is the legal date a tenant is considered to have received a rent increase notice — regardless of when they actually opened or read it. It's the starting point for Saskatchewan's 12-month (or 6-month) notice period. Getting it wrong can make the proposed effective date too early.

Why Deemed Service Matters

Saskatchewan's rent increase clocks run from deemed receipt, not from the date you mailed or handed over the notice. For a current tenant, a notice sent by ordinary mail must also be posted on the unit's front door. The deemed-service date is the 3rd business day after mailing.

Deemed Service by Method

Personal delivery: Deemed received immediately. You hand the notice directly to the tenant, and the clock starts that same day. This is the only method with no buffer period.

Door posting + ordinary mail: The notice must be posted on the tenant's unit front door and sent by ordinary mail. It is generally deemed received on the 3rd business day after mailing; the recipient may establish that, through no fault of their own, they received it later or did not receive it.

Door posting + electronic service: The notice must be posted on the tenant's unit front door and served in electronic form. It is generally deemed received on the business day after it was sent; the recipient may establish that, through no fault of their own, they received it later or did not receive it.

Electronic service must provide the notice in the same or substantially the same form as the written notice, be accessible to the tenant, and be capable of being retained for later reference.

Text message: A text sent alone is not one of the service methods listed for a current tenant. A hearing officer may nevertheless order non-compliant service sufficient if the notice came to the tenant's attention.

Counting Business Days

Under Section 2(a.1) of the RTA, a business day is any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.

To count the 3-business-day buffer:

1. Identify the mailing date (Day 0)
2. Count forward to the next business day (Day 1)
3. Continue counting business days, skipping weekends and holidays
4. Day 3 is the deemed service date
5. The service date is excluded when counting. Under section 2-28(7) of The Legislation Act, a period in months is counted to the corresponding date in its final month.

Worked Example: Mailing on a Thursday

You mail the notice on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

• Day 0: Thursday, March 5 (mailing date)
• Day 1: Friday, March 6
• Day 2: Monday, March 9 (Saturday and Sunday skipped)
• Day 3: Tuesday, March 10 — deemed service date
• 12-month countdown starts March 11

Worked Example: Mailing Before a Long Weekend

You mail the notice on Friday, May 15, 2026 (Victoria Day is Monday, May 18).

• Day 0: Friday, May 15 (mailing date)
• Day 1: Tuesday, May 19 (Saturday, Sunday, and the holiday skipped)
• Day 2: Wednesday, May 20
• Day 3: Thursday, May 21 — deemed service date

The holiday pushed the deemed date out by one extra day compared to a normal weekend.

Email vs. Mail: The Speed Difference

Electronic service is generally deemed received on the business day after it is sent, rather than on the third business day after mailing. For service on a current tenant, the notice must also be posted on the unit's front door.

The notice must be provided in the same or substantially the same form as the written notice, be accessible to the tenant, and be capable of being retained for later reference.

If the recipient establishes that, through no fault of their own, they did not receive it or received it later, the deemed-service date changes accordingly.

Building the Proof

Whichever method you use, document the deemed-service calculation at the time of service — not weeks later. Keep:

• Canada Post receipt showing the mailing date (for mail)
• Photo evidence if you posted the notice on the door
• Electronic transmission record and proof of door posting (for electronic service)
• Signed tenant acknowledgement (for personal delivery)

Our Saskatchewan Rent Increase Guide includes a deemed-service calculator that walks through the business-day count for any service date and method.

See more Saskatchewan guides →