Toronto is making it tougher to evict tenants

Inspired by a Hamilton city bylaw passed this year, Toronto will soon introduce landmark legislation that would prevent landlords from evicting tenants under the pretext of "renovation."

In January, the City of Hamilton unanimously passed the Renovation and Tenant Relocation Permit Bylaw, which requires landlords to obtain a renovation permit when they issue renovation notices, also known as N13s.

In this regard, Toronto's Planning and Housing Committee directed municipal staff to review Hamilton's bylaw and how to implement its approach.

According to blogto, the purpose of this law is to prevent some owners who force current tenants to leave their property under the pretext of renovation in order to rent the same unit to other citizens at a higher rate.

The proposed renovation bylaw requires landlords to obtain a rental unit renovation permit within seven days of issuing the N13 notice, obtain a building permit, and submit a report from a qualified person before applying for a rental renovation permit.

Also, owners must pay a renovation permit fee of $700 per unit.

This regulation, which will come into effect on July 31, 2025, will result in fines if the rules are not followed.

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