A new renovictions bylaw aimed at protecting tenants from being turfed from their homes by bad-faith landlords who are attempting to raise rents will soon come into effect in Toronto.
Councillors voted 25 to one to adopt the bylaw this week, and enforcement starts on July 31, 2025.
“This bylaw doesn’t stop good-faith renovations,” Coun. Dianne Saxe said.
“What this bylaw stops is fake evictions where a minor renovation is being used as an excuse, and this happens far too commonly. It’s time to stop it.”
Under the new system, landlords will have to apply for a $700 per unit renovation licence and include proof that the proposed construction or maintenance work is so extensive that the tenant must leave their home.
For tenants who later choose to return to their units, landlords must provide a plan with temporary, comparable housing at similar rents. If tenants are finding their own temporary housing, landlords will be required to provide rent-gap payments to cover the difference.
They must also provide moving allowances to all tenants and provide severance compensation for people who choose not to return to their unit after the work is completed.
Speaking at city hall, Mayor Olivia Chow lauded the new bylaw and took aim at the provincial government’s controversial decision to roll back rent controls on all units built or occupied after Nov. 15 of 2018.
“If we had real rent control for all buildings, not just the ones that are built before 2018, we probably wouldn’t need to do this. That would end renovictions overnight — but that’s a provincial responsibility,” Chow said.
“But we have to act, because we are seeing a lot of problems, and we need to protect tenants from senseless or bogus evictions.”
The sole dissenting voice on the vote was Coun. Stephen Holyday, who bemoaned the move as tough for landlords while unfurling a roll of red tape as a prop.
“Here’s council stepping into the space of the work of the provincial government,” he said.
“This is literally the manufacturing of red tape once again.”