As of September 21, 2026, important changes to Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and its regulations are in effect. The changes affect several aspects of the landlord-tenant relationship, including non-payment of rent, persistent late payments, evictions for a landlord’s own use, issues that tenants may raise at certain eviction hearings, and the Landlord and Tenant Board’s ability to postpone eviction orders. Here is an overview of some of the key changes that Ontario landlords and tenants should know about.
Shorter Notice Period for Non-Payment of Rent
One of the most significant changes concerns tenants who fail to pay their rent when it is due. Previously, when a tenant failed to pay rent, a landlord could serve an N4 Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent with a termination date at least 14 days after the notice was given. Under the new rules, the termination date can now be as early as 7 days after the N4 notice is given. A tenant can still void the N4 by paying the required rent arrears before the landlord applies to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an eviction order. However, the shortened notice period means that the process can move to the next stage more quickly if the arrears remain unpaid.
New Rules Regarding Persistent Late Payment of Rent
The new rules also provide greater guidance regarding what can constitute persistent late payment of rent. A tenant’s payment history may constitute persistent late payment where the tenant has failed to pay rent within seven days of the date it was due on at least three occasions within a six-month period, provided that the late payments were not solely caused by the landlord applying payments to other amounts owing. Importantly, this is not the only situation in which persistent late payment may be established. The regulations specifically recognize that persistent late payment can arise in other circumstances as well.
Changes to Evictions for a Landlord’s Own Use
There are also important changes affecting situations where a landlord seeks to terminate a tenancy because the landlord, or another person permitted under the legislation, intends to occupy the rental unit. The new rules provide a mechanism under which the usual requirement to compensate the tenant with one month’s rent or offer another acceptable rental unit does not apply where the landlord provides the tenant with at least 120 days’ notice and the other statutory requirements are satisfied. The legislation also introduces a new rule intended to address whether an own-use eviction was genuine. Generally, if the person identified in the notice does not move into the rental unit within the prescribed 60-day period, the legislation creates a presumption relevant to determining whether the landlord acted in bad faith. The precise 60-day period depends on when the tenant actually vacates the rental unit. Landlords considering an eviction for their own use should therefore carefully consider both the notice requirements and their plans for actual occupancy of the unit.
New Requirements for Tenants Raising Issues at Rent-Arrears Hearings
The changes also affect certain eviction proceedings before the Landlord and Tenant Board. At a hearing arising from a landlord’s application based on non-payment of rent, a tenant may seek to raise issues that could otherwise form the subject of their own application under the Residential Tenancies Act. These might include, for example, allegations concerning maintenance or repair obligations. Under the new rules, however, a tenant seeking to raise such issues is generally required to comply with additional requirements, including paying 50% of the rent arrears claimed in the landlord’s application. The required payment must generally be made no later than seven days before the hearing. This represents a significant procedural change for tenants who intend to raise their own claims or concerns as part of a landlord’s rent-arrears proceeding.
Stricter Rules for Postponing Eviction Orders
The amendments also place new restrictions on the Landlord and Tenant Board’s ability to postpone enforcement of an eviction order. For many eviction applications, unless the landlord agrees to the postponement, the Board must be satisfied that postponing the eviction would not be unfair to the landlord or other tenants in the residential complex and that there are compelling grounds to postpone enforcement. Different requirements apply to certain applications, including some involving a landlord’s or purchaser’s own use of the property and demolition, conversion or repairs. As a result, obtaining additional time before an eviction order is enforced may now be more difficult in some circumstances.
What Do These Changes Mean for Ontario Landlords and Tenants?
The September 2026 changes affect both the substantive rights of landlords and tenants and the procedures followed before the Landlord and Tenant Board. For landlords, the amendments may allow certain proceedings involving unpaid or repeatedly late rent to move forward more quickly, while also introducing important requirements that must be followed when seeking possession of a rental unit for personal use. For tenants, the shortened non-payment notice period and the new requirements applicable to certain Landlord and Tenant Board proceedings make it particularly important to respond promptly to notices and understand the procedural requirements that may apply. The amendments also contain additional technical and procedural changes, including provisions concerning certain Landlord and Tenant Board orders and non-profit housing co-operatives. Because the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants depend on the particular circumstances of each tenancy, anyone affected by these changes should consider obtaining legal advice regarding their specific situation.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The law may change, and legal advice should be obtained based on the particular facts and circumstances of each case.
