Latest amendments to Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act receive approval
By David Gargaro
On April 27, the Ontario provincial government announced that the Lieutenant Governor in Council has approved an Order to bring into effect some amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA). The amendments were made through two bills: Bill 97, Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023, and Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025.
Although the two bills had been proclaimed in force some time ago, some of the RTA elements had yet to be put into effect. The provincial government is now taking steps to implement the changes across both bills. Some of those amendments will go into effect on July 1 and September 21 of this year (as outlined below). Until then, existing legislation and procedures set out under the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) will continue to apply. The dates to apply the remaining amendments to the RTA listed in Bills 67 and 90 have yet to be determined.
Bill 97: Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023
Bill 97 is aimed at supporting the construction of 1.5 million homes in Ontario by 2031. It amends several statutes to help speed up development, increase the housing supply, and strengthen tenants’ rights with respect to air conditioning and renovations.
Key components of Bill 97 include:
• Stronger rules to protect tenants against badfaith evictions for renovations
• Changes to the Planning Act to support the housing supply action plan, which includes increasing the number of residential units allowed on a parcel of land without the need to get full development approval
• Narrower definitions for the term “area of employment” with the focus on manufacturing and warehousing restricting commercial and institutional uses
• Higher fines for illegal evictions under the RTA
The following amendments will come into effect on July 1, 2026:
• Tenants are explicitly allowed to install window or portable air conditioning units if the landlord does not provide air conditioning; this permission is subject to certain conditions
• When the landlord is required under the tenancy agreement to supply electricity to the rental unit, they may charge the tenant a seasonal rent increase, subject to certain rules
• The landlord and tenants must use the LTB’s approved form for rent arrears payment agreements between the two parties
• The maximum fines for offences under the RTA will increase from $50,000 to $100,000 for individuals and from $250,000 to $500,000 for corporations
The following amendments will come into effect on September 21, 2026:
• Landlords who want to end a tenancy due to repairs or renovations must provide the tenant with the following:
Written notifications about the estimated completion date of the renovations, any changes to the estimated completion date, and the final date that the unit is ready for re-occupancy
A period of at least 60 days to reoccupy the unit following completion of renovations
• Tenants can apply to the LTB for a remedy for “failure to afford a right of first refusal” if the landlord does not provide the tenant with the required notifications and/or 60 days to reoccupy the unit
• If the tenant is denied their right of first refusal, then the timeline to apply to the LTB for a remedy will be extended to the later of two years from the date they vacated the unit or six months after completion of the renovations
Refer to Schedule 7 of Bill 97 for more information on the amendments coming into effect.
Bill 60: Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025
Bill 60 is an omnibus bill that amends 16 laws with the goal of accelerating housing development and streamlining rental disputes. It makes several amendments to the RTA, as well as municipal housing and development charges.
Key components of Bill 60 include:
• Reductions in the timeline to file for evictions for non-payment
• Requiring the tenant (in some cases) to pay 50 per cent of the disputed amount before an LTB hearing
• Shorter timeline to review LTB decisions
• Changes to compensation requirements for landlord personal-use evictions
• Faster approvals for building permits
• Standardization of calculations for development charges and greater transparency for developers in disputes
The following amendments come into effect on September 21, 2026:
• Landlords who provide the tenant with at least 120 days’ notice to end the tenancy for personal use of the rental unit (rather than the minimum 60 days’ notice) will no longer be required to compensate the tenant or offer another acceptable unit for rent
• The notice period for evictions due to nonpayment of rent for either fixed-term or month-to-month tenancies will be reduced from 14 days to seven days
Refer to Schedule 12 of Bill 60 for more information on the amendments coming into effect.
