TORONTO -- Toronto Mayor John Tory says he disagrees with the Ford government’s proposed changes to provincial residential tenancy law that in some cases would make it easier for landlords to evict tenants who fall behind in paying rent.
Two days after demonstrators decrying the law gathered around his Annex condo, with some pushing to break into the building, Tory says he read up on Bill 184 and does not like what he sees.
“There are some provisions in that bill that sort of say that if you had an agreement with a tenant or cause them to be pressured into signing one for the repayment of rent that happens to be past due, you can move more quickly to an eviction,” Tory told CP24 on Wednesday. “I just think we should stick to the system that has a proper hearing for tenants before they can be evicted.”
The new bill allows landlords to offer tenants behind on rent their own repayment plan, without involvement from the Landlord and Tenant Board.
If a vulnerable tenant agrees to the repayment plan’s terms, no matter how unreasonable, they can be evicted without a hearing in the event they fall even a dollar behind on rent again.
The bill also allows landlords the ability to apply to evict a tenant if the tenant refuses a repayment plan.
“I would only say that I believe that tenants should no matter what have the opportunity to have a hearing on anything that has to do with their eviction,” Tory said.
Residential and some commercial evictions are frozen for now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but surveys and other scans have revealed thousands of Toronto tenants are currently behind in their rent.
Bill 184 also stiffens penalties for landlords who issue eviction notices in bad faith.
