New Rental Controls to be Introduced in Ontario

Rental Increases to be put on hold for 2021

Doug Ford and the provincial government has announced that they will introduce rent control legislation in 2021 that will not allow landlords to raise their rents by the usual prescribed amount that is permitted each year. These are for all rentals and not just buildings subject to rent controls.

The maximum allowable increase for next year was supposed to have been 1.5 per cent but last week a spokesperson for Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark confirmed that legislation is forthcoming to “ensure that the vast majority of families do not see a rent increase next year.” “Since the very beginning of COVID-19, our government has called on landlords and tenants to come together and be reasonable with each other – and landlords and tenants across the province have shown the Ontario spirit by doing just that. In that spirit, our government is announcing our intention to stabilize rents for Ontario’s 1.6 million rental households,” the statement reads.

“We know that families are continuing to be impacted by COVID-19. We know landlords have worked hard to be accommodating and have made sacrifices. And we know that by continuing to work together, we will move past this extraordinary time and increase housing – so that every Ontarian can find a home that suits their needs and their budget,” the statement reads.

The government banned residential evictions earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic but last month it began allowing the Landlord and Tenant Board to consider eviction requests again, something it has faced criticism for. Thus far, the Board has been overwhelmed with applications and states the evictions will be proceeding “very slowly”.