Nov 24, 2025 — Ontario’s legislature has passed Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, marking one of the most consequential shifts to rental housing law in nearly two decades. While the government positions the legislation as a fix for chronic delays at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) and a catalyst for quicker development approvals, the bill makes sweeping changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA, 2006).
These amendments accelerate eviction processes, limit tenant defenses, and reduce compensation requirements—prompting strong criticism from tenant advocates and legal clinics who argue the bill fundamentally rebalances power in favour of landlords.
Although the bill has passed, its RTA changes will take effect once proclaimed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council—likely in the near term.
A New Legal Landscape: Key Changes to the RTA
Bill 60’s reforms centre on speeding up eviction proceedings and standardizing procedures. The most significant changes include:
1. Standardized Termination Notices
All eviction notices must now use LTB-prescribed forms. The stated goal is clarity and efficiency; however, this also restricts informal communication and may limit opportunities for negotiated resolutions between landlords and tenants.
2. “Own-Use” and Demolition Evictions
Landlords reclaiming a unit for personal or family use—or demolishing a building—may avoid paying the previously required one month’s rent or an alternate unit, provided they give 120 days’ notice aligned with the end of a fixed-term lease. This is a sharp rollback from earlier tenant protections.
3. Persistent Non-Payment Redefined
“Persistent failure to pay rent” will be defined through future regulation, potentially lowering the threshold for eviction due to repeated late payments. This may allow eviction without case-by-case proof.
4. Shortened Non-Payment Notice Period
The grace period for unpaid rent is reduced from 14 days to 7 days, enabling landlords to move to termination and LTB filings significantly sooner.
5. Limited Defences at Hearings
Tenants facing non-payment claims must now pay 50% of alleged arrears before raising defences—such as repair issues, habitability concerns, or landlord misconduct. Critics warn this will bar many low-income tenants from accessing justice.
6. Faster Review and Appeal Timelines
The deadline to request an LTB review drops from 30 days to 15 days, cutting in half the time tenants have to gather evidence, seek legal advice, or file appeals.
7. Reduced Consideration of Hardship
The LTB’s ability to consider fairness or undue hardship is constrained, limiting the weight given to personal circumstances, age, disability, or health during eviction decisions.
Together, these changes create a dramatically faster—and more rigid—eviction system.
How Bill 60 Compares to Past Reforms
For decades, Ontario has attempted to balance landlord rights with tenant protections.
The 2017–2018 Fair Housing Plan expanded rent control and reinforced tenant safeguards, focusing on affordability and stability.
Earlier reforms under the Tenant Protection Act accelerated evictions but paired them with compensation and dispute-resolution options to preserve a measure of fairness.
Bill 60 represents a clear departure.
Speed over security: Timelines shorten, appeals narrow, and procedures tighten.
Compensation rollback: “Own-use” and demolition evictions may no longer require payment.
Reduced discretion: The LTB is less able to weigh hardship or equity.
Where past reforms aimed for balance, Bill 60 prioritizes administrative efficiency—even at the expense of tenant protection.
Who Will Feel the Impact Most?
While all renters face greater eviction exposure, the effects will be most severe for vulnerable groups in a province already grappling with 1–2% vacancy rates in major cities.
Case Study 1: Maria — Low-Income Renter
Profile: Single mother, part-time retail worker, living paycheque-to-paycheque.
Impact Under Bill 60:
Only 7 days to resolve late rent.
Must pay half the arrears to defend herself at a hearing.
No guaranteed compensation in an “own-use” eviction.
Likely Outcome:
Maria faces a heightened risk of eviction and potential homelessness, with little time or financial capacity to secure alternative housing.
Case Study 2: Mr. Thompson — Senior Tenant
Profile: 72-year-old, long-term tenant with mobility challenges and local support networks.
Impact Under Bill 60:
Less consideration of hardship or accessibility needs.
Only 15 days to request a review of an LTB decision.
Possible displacement without suitable alternative housing.
Likely Outcome:
Forced relocation could jeopardize his health, independence, and connection to essential services.
These examples reflect broader concerns raised by legal clinics that the bill will disproportionately harm seniors, families, newcomers, and residents with disabilities.
Immediate Impacts
Faster Evictions: Accelerated notices and shorter timelines.
Higher Tenant Risk: Limited defences and reduced compensation.
Legal System Strain: Increased demand for urgent legal aid.
Greater Predictability for Landlords: Easier unit recovery and lower administrative burden.
Long-Term Impacts
Erosion of Security of Tenure: Tenants may feel less stable in their homes.
Increased Homelessness Risk: Displacement may rise in already tight markets.
Inequitable Access to Justice: Wealthier parties gain an advantage in disputes.
Shift in Landlord Behaviour: More “own-use” and redevelopment-driven evictions.
Potential Political and Legal Pushback: Advocacy groups are expected to challenge aspects of the legislation.
Some analysts warn of “renoviction-style” patterns emerging—where evictions tied to redevelopment drive rent increases rather than supply growth.
Government’s Position
Supporters of Bill 60 argue it will:
Reduce LTB backlogs, currently in the tens of thousands.
Create faster resolution of disputes.
Prevent tenants from exploiting procedural delays.
Encourage housing development by removing administrative barriers.
Critics counter that while efficiency is important, the bill addresses symptoms—not the root causes of Ontario’s housing crisis, such as supply shortages and affordability gaps.
Conclusion
Bill 60 is far more than a procedural tune-up—it marks a structural redefinition of rental rights in Ontario. By prioritizing speed and landlord flexibility, the legislation reduces long-standing tenant protections and increases eviction vulnerability, especially among low-income households and seniors.
As the regulations roll out and the law comes into force, all eyes will be on:
How “persistent non-payment” is defined,
How the LTB exercises its narrowed discretion,
And whether efficiency gains come at too high a human cost.
The coming months will reveal whether Bill 60 delivers on its promise of faster justice—or ushers in a new era of rental instability across the province.
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