How Much Notice Must a Tenant Give to End a Month-to-Month Tenancy in Alberta?

This answer covers the law of Alberta.

A tenant ending a month-to-month tenancy in Alberta must give one full tenancy month of notice. The notice must be in writing, signed, identify the rental premises and state the date the tenancy ends.

Timing matters. You must serve the notice on or before the first day of a tenancy month, and it then takes effect on the last day of that month. If you serve it late, it is still effective, but only at the end of the next complete period, so you owe rent through that later date. In practice, notice given a few days into a month will generally end the tenancy at the end of the following month.

Different rules apply in some situations. A fixed-term tenancy needs no notice and ends on the date in the agreement, and ending it early requires both sides to agree. A tenant leaving because of domestic violence may be able to end a tenancy on at least 28 days' notice with a certificate from the designated authority, and pays rent only for that notice period. If your situation is unclear, a lawyer can confirm how the rules apply to you.