Yukon Rent Increase Rules 2026

Yukon rent law changed substantially in September 2025 — and proposed amendments may change it again on December 1, 2026. If you are a self-managing landlord trying to raise rent on a Whitehorse apartment or a Dawson City house, the rules that apply depend entirely on when you serve the notice.

The 2.6% Cap (Notices Served Before December 1, 2026)

The Residential Tenancies Act sets a residential rent index every May 15. For the 2026 rent year the index is 2.6%, calculated by averaging the 2024 Whitehorse CPI (2.0%) and the 2025 Whitehorse CPI (3.2%).

Any notice of rent increase served before December 1, 2026, is capped at 2.6% of current rent. The cap applies even if the effective date of the increase falls after December 1.

There is one exception: a landlord who has incurred qualifying extraordinary renovation expenses or purchased a property with below-market rental units can apply to the Residential Tenancies Office (RTO) for an above-index increase of up to 3% on top of the index, lasting a maximum of three years. That requires a formal application and an order from the director before the higher amount can be imposed.

How Often Rent Can Rise

For tenancies subject to the rent-increase rules, two hard frequency limits apply regardless of whether the current capped regime or the proposed uncapped regime is in effect:

1. No statutory rent increase during the first 12 months after rent is established, except for adjustments excluded from the Act's definition of a rent increase, such as authorized additional-occupant rent. Income-linked housing agency units are exempt from these timing rules.
2. One increase per 12-month period after that, measured from the effective date of the previous lawful increase — not from the date you served the notice.

These rules survive the December 2026 amendments unchanged.

The Prescribed Form

A statutory rent increase notice must use the official RTO prescribed form — Notice of rent increase (Form YG(6942CS)). An informal letter, email, or text message does not meet that form requirement. The form notes that an increase authorized by the agreement for additional occupants does not require a rent-increase notice.

The form asks for the landlord and tenant names, unit and service addresses, tenancy start date, last increase date, current rent, increase amount, new rent, effective date, and the landlord's signature and date. Complete the required fields on the approved form.

What Changes December 1, 2026

Tabled amendments (subject to final legislative passage) bring two headline changes for notices served on or after December 1:

• The rent cap is removed. Landlords set the increase amount at their discretion.
• The notice period doubles from three full rental months to six months.

The 12-month frequency rule and the prescribed-form requirement stay the same.

A notice served on November 30, 2026, is capped at 2.6% with a three-month notice period. A notice served December 1, 2026, is uncapped but requires six months' notice. That three-month gap in effective dates is the practical cost of waiting for the uncapped regime.

The Practical Sequence

1. Confirm at least 12 months since the tenancy started or the last lawful increase took effect.
2. Determine which regime applies — capped (before December 1) or uncapped (on or after December 1).
3. Calculate the new rent without exceeding the 2.6% maximum under the capped regime.
4. Complete Form YG(6942CS) with its required fields.
5. Serve the notice by an authorized method — personal delivery, registered mail (allow five days for deemed receipt), door or conspicuous-place posting plus mail, or email with written consent.
6. Complete and keep a Declaration of Service and other delivery evidence, as directed by the RTO.

The Yukon Rent Increase Compliance Toolkit walks through every step with calculation worksheets, a deadline calendar, and a proof-of-service log — everything a self-managing landlord needs to get the notice right the first time.

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