Renovictions by-law approved by Planning Committee to protect Ottawa tenants from bad-faith evictions
Starting January 1, 2027, landlords seeking to evict tenants for renovations will need a city licence, building permit, and must provide tenants with an education guide on their rights.
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Ottawa's Planning and Housing Committee approved a Rental Renovation Licence By-law on July 8 to protect tenants from evictions that use renovation or repair as a pretext for rent increases — a practice known as renovictions.
Under the by-law, which takes effect January 1, 2027, landlords must obtain a building permit before issuing an eviction notice for renovations. Once the notice is issued, they have seven days to apply for a rental renovation licence from the city. Tenants will receive a city-produced eviction education guide in multiple languages explaining their rights under provincial law.
The city will not charge a licence fee, keeping compliance costs low for landlords while relying on enforcement and fines to discourage bad-faith evictions. The approach encourages adherence to Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act rules and aims to preserve affordable rental housing in Ottawa.
