Latest amendments to Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act receive approval By David Gargaro
On April 27, the Ontario provincial government announced that the Lieutenant Governor in Council has approved an Order to bring into effect some amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA). The amendments were made through two bills: Bill 97, Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023, and Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025. Although the two bills had been proclaimed in force some time ago, some of the RTA elements had yet to be put into effect. The provincial government is now taking steps to implement the changes across both bills. Some of those amendments will go into effect on July 1 and September 21 of this year (as outlined below). Until then, existing legislation and procedures set out under the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) will continue to apply. The dates to apply the remaining amendments to the RTA listed in Bills 67 and 90 have yet to be determined.
Bill 97: Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023 Bill 97 is aimed at supporting the construction of 1.5 million homes in Ontario by 2031. It amends several statutes to help speed up development, increase the housing supply, and strengthen tenants’ rights with respect to air conditioning and renovations. Key components of Bill 97 include: • Stronger rules to protect tenants against badfaith evictions for renovations • Changes to the Planning Act to support the housing supply action plan, which includes increasing the number of residential units allowed on a parcel of land without the need to get full development approval • Narrower definitions for the term “area of employment” with the focus on manufacturing and warehousing restricting commercial and institutional uses • Higher fines for illegal evictions under the RTA
30 | April / May 2026
The following amendments will come into effect on July 1, 2026: • Tenants are explicitly allowed to install window or portable air conditioning units if the landlord does not provide air conditioning; this permission is subject to certain conditions • When the landlord is required under the tenancy agreement to supply electricity to the rental unit, they may charge the tenant a seasonal rent increase, subject to certain rules • The landlord and tenants must use the LTB’s approved form for rent arrears payment agreements between the two parties • The maximum fines for offences under the RTA will increase from $50,000 to $100,000 for individuals and from $250,000 to $500,000 for corporations The following amendments will come into effect on September 21, 2026: • Landlords who want to end a tenancy due to repairs or renovations must provide the tenant with the following: