Premier Doug Ford’s government has passed Bill 60 — the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act — introducing major changes to Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act and sparking alarm among tenant advocates and municipal leaders. The legislation, approved Monday at Queen’s Park after being fast-tracked without public hearings or committee review, removes the requirement for landlords to provide one month’s rent compensation when evicting tenants for personal use, provided 120 days’ notice is given.
The bill also shortens several key timelines in the eviction process. Landlords will now be able to file eviction applications for rent arrears after only seven days’ notice instead of the previous 14, and tenants appealing Landlord and Tenant Board decisions will have 15 days to file an appeal, down from 30. Renters will not be allowed to raise new issues — such as maintenance failures or harassment — at LTB rent arrears hearings unless they have notified the Board in advance.
Toronto City Council has formally opposed the legislation, warning that these changes could drive more residents into homelessness and place additional strain on city services. Mayor Olivia Chow stated that easing evictions does not contribute to building new housing and risks worsening the city’s already critical housing pressures. Housing advocates echoed this concern over the weekend as hundreds of demonstrators marched to Queen’s Park, arguing that the bill will embolden corporate landlords seeking to push out long-term tenants and raise rents.
The provincial government maintains that Bill 60 will restore balance to Ontario’s rental system by ensuring accountability and reducing backlogs at the Landlord and Tenant Board. A spokesperson for Housing Minister Rob Flack said the reforms will also support families who rely on rental income to cover mortgages, taxes and utilities.
More than 130 organizations have signed an open letter warning that Bill 60 will deepen the province’s housing and homelessness crisis by reducing tenants’ time to pay arrears, limiting their ability to challenge eviction applications and removing discretion from adjudicators to consider individual circumstances. The Ontario NDP called the bill’s passage “a shameful day for Ontario,” saying the reforms will harm vulnerable renters across the province.
Although the province abandoned its earlier proposal to consult on ending security of tenure — a move widely criticized as a threat to rent control — the passing of Bill 60 represents the most significant reduction in tenant protections in years.