Ontario landlord-tenant rules tighten September 21: shorter grace periods, eviction faster

Ontario's rental rules shift this September 21, making it faster and easier for landlords to start eviction proceedings.

The amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act—passed through Bill 60 and Bill 97—compress the timeline for non-payment cases. The grace period for missed rent payments drops from 14 days to 7 days. After that window closes, a landlord can file an L1 form to begin eviction.

Tenants face a new vulnerability: rent payments labeled "persistently" late if missed three separate times within a 7-day window can trigger an N8 eviction notice. The landlord can then file for eviction at the Landlord and Tenant Board.

For tenants contesting evictions on grounds of landlord maintenance failures, harassment, or repair neglect, the rules now require paying 50 percent of unpaid rent at least 7 days before the hearing. The province says this requirement curbs bad-faith claims and reduces landlord financial losses—though it also raises the cost of defending yourself.

One protection remains: landlords still must wait for an LTB hearing and written decision before physically evicting anyone, and tenants using N12 (notice to end tenancy) for the landlord's own use receive 120 days' notice. If served within 60 days or anytime in the 120-day window, the landlord must pay one month's rent as compensation.

Eviction filings in Toronto have long been dominated by non-payment cases, with racialized communities disproportionately affected. Between 2016 and 2021, filings were highest in Black-majority neighbourhoods. These changes accelerate that process.