In the ongoing effort to provide more housing across the province, the Ford government is taking steps to improve the rental experience for Ontarians by proposing updated policies and doubling the number of employees with the Landlord Tenant Board.
With a grant of $65,000,000, an additional 40 adjudicators and five new staff members will be brought on to “reduce the number of active applications, and cut down decision timeframes at the Landlord Tenant Board,” Attorney General Doug Downey announced in London on Wednesday.
The hiring of 40 more adjudicators will more than double the amount that currently work with the Landlord Tenant Board.
Applications for these positions are already open, according to Downey.
On top of beefing up the Landlord and Tenant Board, Ontario is also proposing new policies to better protect people in the rental market.
One of the proposed changes includes tenants having the right to install air conditioning units if not provided by their landlord.
“Whether it’s heating in the winter or cooling in the summer, tenants should be comfortable in their homes all year round,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark at Wednesday’s announcement. “We’ve heard renters’ concerns about unbearable temperatures on hot summer days, and we’ve listened to the report of the Ontario Humans Rights Commission which urged the government last year to implement a realistic solution that helps protect Ontarians against unsafe temperatures.”
Under this new policy, renters will be permitted to bring their own portable or window air conditioning unit, so long as it doesn’t cause damage to the property and complies with all applicable laws. The landlord must also be provided with a written notice regarding the installation, the device’s energy efficiency, and anticipated use by the tenant.
Ontario is also making moves to protect tenants from so-called “reno-victions” – cases in which renters are instructed to vacate the unit to make way for renovations.
In order to evict a tenant for renovations, demolitions, or conversions, a landlord must have a qualified professional complete a report stating that the unit has to be vacant for work to be completed.
Tenants who wish to move back in post-renovations must be provided with status updates throughout the project and a date on which the unit will be ready for occupancy. These renters will be given a 60-day grace period to move back into their home and should pay the same rent.
Should any disputes arise, tenants will either have two years after moving out or six months after the renovation is complete – whichever is longer – to file a claim with the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Finally, maximum fines under the Residential Tenancies Act will be doubled, making offenses punishable by $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. Ontario’s fines are reportedly the highest of any province in Canada.
“Our government will continue to stand up for both renters and landlords, ensuring the rules surrounding rental housing are fair, reasonable and enforced in a timely manner,” said Associate Minister of Housing Nina Tangri. “This announcement builds on our record of rental housing growth while setting the stage for future growth over the long term.”
