On November 14, 2024 Toronto City Council adopted a Rental Renovation Licence By-law to curb bad faith evictions and protect tenants from the practice of renovictions. The Bylaw will come into effect on July 31, 2025.
Renovictions, where tenants are evicted under the false pretense of necessary renovations so landlords can increase rents significantly or refuse tenants return to their homes, have become increasingly common in the city’s tight rental housing market. Renovictions disproportionately impact low-income and marginalized communities, exacerbating homelessness and leading to the loss of affordable rental housing options.
When the By-law comes into effect on July 31, 2025 tenants who have been issued an N-13 notice should contact the City to verify that their landlord is in compliance with the Residential Renovation Licence By-law.
Until the By-law comes into effect, tenants facing bad faith eviction under the guise of a landlord requiring vacant possession to repair or renovate a unit are encouraged to contact the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).
The City is also providing additional funding to Toronto Tenant Support Program service providers to increase capacity to support tenants facing renovictions. The Rental Housing & Tenant Information page is also available as an information resource.
Through the new bylaw, landlords issuing an N13 notice to end tenancy will require a Rental Renovation Licence. To apply for a licence, landlords will need to:
More information on the Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw, including details on how landlords can prepare to transition to the new requirements, are under development and will be posted here. A multilingual public education campaign for Toronto tenants, landlords, and other interested parties is also under development.