More than 30,000 Ontario landlords have joined forces, signing a petition urging the Ford government to address the Landlord and Tenant Board’s (LTB) delays and expedite overdue evictions for non-payment of rent.
The petition advocates for new legislation that would streamline the eviction process, similar to British Columbia’s system, where eviction applications for non-payment of rent are automatically approved ex parte, subject to satisfactory proof provided to a judicial body.
In an open letter to Premier Doug Ford, landlords highlighted the significant financial losses due to LTB delays, estimating over $1 billion annually in irrecoverable rent arrears. They also criticized the freeze on annual rent increases, which they claim eroded $2.23 billion in rental property equity.
Christopher Seepe, representing the sector, emphasized the unity among Ontario landlords, calling for swift government action to increase rental housing inventory and improve tenant qualification processes.
Ontario, unlike other provinces, experienced a net loss of over 6,500 rental units in 2023. The petition, submitted on February 29th, continues to gain momentum with new signatures daily, urging the government to adopt legislation similar to BC’s.
The petition argues for granting landlords the ability to issue a 10-day eviction notice, approved by an adjudicator, a move that has proven successful in addressing a majority of issues in BC.
Seepe highlighted that tenants cannot withhold rent for any reason under Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, leaving no grounds for adjudication. Implementing this change could reduce the LTB’s caseload by 41% and alleviate multi-year case backlogs, while also curbing exploitative “cash for keys” schemes.