Dear neighbour,
It's June and this means rent is due. Many have been unable to pay their rent for April and May and for the third month in a row, many more will be unable to pay.
As tenants still wait for rent relief in the middle of a public health and economic crisis, last week the Ford government decided to ram through legislation that will make it easier for landlords to evict tenants. Bill 184, ironically titled Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act limits the ability of tenants to defend against eviction and in some cases remove the requirement to hold eviction hearings altogether.
- Real protections from eviction so they can keep their homes even if they can’t afford to pay rent during the pandemic.
- Real rent control on all units, including vacant units.
- Protection from illegal evictions by bringing in real fines for landlords who illegally evict, and proper enforcement of the law.
Bill 184 will make tenants more vulnerable. We need to take action now.
About the Bill
Bill 184 would make it easier for landlords to evict tenants by:
- Taking away tenant’s right to defend themselves at eviction hearings: tenants facing eviction for non-payment of rent would no longer be allowed to raise new issues, such as disrepair, at the hearing.
- Taking away tenant’s right to a hearing following a repayment agreement: currently, if a tenant and landlord reach an agreement on repaying rent arrears prior to a hearing, and if the tenant fails to fulfil that agreement, the tenant is entitled to a hearing before an eviction can proceed. Bill 184 would allow landlords to proceed straight to an eviction order without a hearing.
- Making illegal rent increases legal: An illegal rent increase will now become legal if the tenant doesn’t file an application to fight the increase within one year
- Allowing landlords to withhold information about utility costs: Currently, landlords with suite-metered units must give prospective tenants information about electricity consumption. Bill 184 removes this requirement
Contact the Government
Doug Ford, Premier
Phone: 416-325-1941
Email: [email protected]
Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Phone: 416-585-7000
Email: [email protected]
Speak at Committee
The provincial bill that will make it easier for landlords to evict tenants has three days in June set aside for public hearings on the Eviction Bill. Those who would like to present to the legislative committee on this bill have until 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 18 to register for the limited time slots.
This proposed bill intends to increase evictions by limiting tenants’ legal defences and in some situations removing the requirement to hold eviction hearings at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) hearings. The bill also requires tenants to give advance notice if they want to bring up issues like chronic disrepairs to their unit during hearings for non-payment of rent and skips straight from repayment agreement for back rent to eviction order without any hearing for the tenant if they miss a payment.
There will be a lot of power in the hands of the LTB and since the Ford government was elected in 2018, the LTB adjudicators have been cut from 62 to 37, causing huge delays in holding the hearings.
To register to make a presentation or send a written submission, please visit the following link: ola.org/en/apply-committees. (Please note when registering, it is Bill 184 that you want to speak to.) If there are problems registering please contact the Social Policy Committee at 416-325-3506 or by email at [email protected].
The 3 days of virtual committee hearings are:
- Wednesday, June 24 (9:00 to 10:15 a.m. and 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.)
- Thursday, June 25 (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.)
- Friday, June 26 (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.)
Add your name to Stop the Eviction Bill 184 from becoming law.