City of Toronto: Municipal Licensing and Standards Division

What can I do if I am in a cab and the driver is on a cell phone carrying on a conversation that is unrelated to his/her work?

Chapter 545, Licensing, Section 136 (H) (1) (e-7) of the Toronto Municipal Code states that a cab driver shall affix to the back of the passenger seat of their cab the Passenger Bill of Rights which states that a passenger has a right to a 'silent ride if desired'. If you have requested a silent ride and the driver is not complying, you may contact Licensing Enforcement to report the incident (please ensure that you provide as much details about the driver and cab as possible - e.g. cab number).

What can I do as a tenant in a residential rental unit if my landlord insists on keeping the thermostat at 18 celsius until January each winter?

Chapter 497, Heat, Section 2, of the Toronto Municipal Code states that a landlord shall provide heat to a dwelling unit that is rented or leased at the landlord's expense at a minimum air temperature of 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) in all areas of the dwelling unit from September 15th to June 1st. If you have informed your landlord that you are experiencing inadequate heat and he/she has failed to deal with the situation, you may contact your District Office to report the incident.

My neighbour collects junk from other places and leaves it in his/her backyard - is there anything that can be done to make him/her clean up the mess?

Chapter 629, Property Standards, Section 10 (B) of the Toronto Municipal Code states that all yards and any other part of a property shall be kept clean and free from accumulations of junk, rubbish, brush, refuse, litter, garbage and other debris and any conditions that are health, fire or other hazards. If your neighbour's property is not kept clean, you may contact your District Office to report the incident.

A new house is being built on the property next door to me and for the past two weekends they have been starting construction at 7:00 am on Saturday and Sunday, is that legal?

Chapter 591, Noise, Section 4 of the Toronto Municipal Code prohibits the operation of construction equipment from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Monday to Friday, and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and all day Sunday and statutory holidays. If your neighbour is contravening this Chapter, you may contact your District Office to report the incident.

If I complain about my neighbour, will they find out that I called about their overgrown lawn?

The policy of the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division is that all complainants and their information are kept confidential.

Chapter 489, Grass and Weeds, Section 2, of the Toronto Municipal Code states that the owner or occupant of private land shall cut the grass and weeds on their land and remove the cuttings when the growth of the grass and weeds exceeds 20 centimetres (8 inches). If your neighbour's property is not in compliance with this Chapter, you may contact your District Office to report the incident.

I received a Notice of Violation from one of your Officers, what would happen if I chose to ignore it and/or throw it in the garbage?

A Notice of Violation (NOV) is the first piece of information that you will receive if you contravene a by-law. The NOV is sent as a 'courtesy' and sets a compliance date. If you receive a NOV and you ignore it, you will miss the compliance date and that NOV will be followed by an Order to Comply. An Order to Comply if ignored may be registered on the title of your property and will lead to charges being filed.

Instead of ignoring or throwing out a NOV, we recommend that you contact your District Office to seek clarification, direction or assistance.