Valid reasons to evict in Alberta
- Non-payment of rent, 14-day notice with the amount owed.
- Substantial breach (significant damage, unauthorised occupants, illegal activity), 14-day notice or shorter in dangerous situations.
- End of fixed-term lease, the lease simply ends; no eviction required if the tenant moves out on time.
- Landlord moving in, major renovation, or sale to a buyer who will occupy, specific RTA grounds with their own notice rules.
The notice itself
A valid Alberta eviction notice must be written, signed, dated, identify the rental property, state the reason for termination, state the termination date, and explain that the tenant can apply to RTDRS or court to dispute the notice. Missing any of these elements is the single most common reason RTDRS rejects eviction applications.
If the tenant does not leave
After the notice period expires, the landlord files at RTDRS (faster, cheaper) or the Court of King's Bench. Once a possession order is granted, only a civil enforcement bailiff, not the landlord, can physically remove the tenant or their belongings. Trying to do it yourself can void the order and trigger damages.
Typical timeline and cost
A clean non-payment eviction in Calgary takes 4–8 weeks from first notice to bailiff removal: 14-day notice, 1–3 weeks waiting for an RTDRS hearing, plus the bailiff queue. Total cost including filing, possible legal advice, lost rent, and turnover usually lands between $3,500 and $8,000, which is why thorough tenant screening pays for itself many times over.