Ontario is investing $6.5 million to appoint an additional 40 adjudicators and hire five new staff members in an effort to improve service standards at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). This increase more than doubles the number of full-time adjudicators currently serving landlords and tenants.

“Residents and rental housing providers deserve fast results, and government bureaucracy should not stand in the way,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “That is why we’re investing millions of dollars to increase the number of adjudicators and staff at the Landlord and Tenant Board, so the board can continue its work to reduce its case load, improve client service and resolve disputes faster.”

The government is also proposing changes that would strengthen protections against evictions due to renovations, demolitions, and conversions, and “own use.” According to the brief, when evicting a tenant to use the unit themselves (or for their family), a landlord (or their family members) would have to move into the unit by a specific deadline.

When evicting a tenant to renovate the unit, landlords would be required to:

• provide a report from a qualified person stating the unit must be vacant for renovations to take place
• update the tenant on the status of the renovation in writing (if they plan to return)
• give them a 60-day grace period to move back in, once the renovations are complete

If the landlord doesn’t allow the tenant to move back in at the same rent, the tenant would have two years after moving out, or six months after renovations are complete (whichever is longer), to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for a remedy.

When a tenant is in arrears of rent, they may enter into a repayment agreement with their landlord to pay the rent they owe and avoid eviction. To make it easier for both tenants and landlords, the government is proposing to require the use of the LTB’s plain language repayment agreement form to help ensure all parties better understand their rights and responsibilities.

The government is also consulting on changes to “help create a balanced framework governing municipal rental replacement by-laws.” For example, it is considering requiring replacement units for displaced tenants equipped with the same core features (e.g., number of bedrooms). The proposals would also give existing tenants the right to move into the new unit while paying the same rent. This would help protect affordable housing while encouraging the revitalization of older, deteriorating buildings and increasing rental housing supply.

More info available at: Ontario Strengthening Protections for Tenants | Ontario Newsroom