Thousands of Ontario renters brace for evictions as Landlord and Tenant Board reopens Tuesday
Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board is set to begin processing thousands of eviction applications Tuesday, as pressure from tenant advocacy groups to try and extend a ban on evictions continues to mount amid the
COVID-19 pandemic.
"This week we are looking at a situation where the enforcement of outstanding eviction orders and the making of new eviction orders by the Landlord and Tenant Board can continue," said Cole Webber, a legal worker with Parkdale Community Legal Services.
The province ended its moratorium on residential evictions in late July — after it lifted its state of emergency.
Due to August beginning during a long weekend, the board will begin working through its backlog of pending eviction orders starting this week.
"Tens of thousands of people in Toronto face the threat of eviction this month," added Webber.
"We know that there are thousands of outstanding eviction orders which will begin being processed... and more than six-thousand eviction applications that landlords [sent out] during the shutdown alone."
Legal action to extend eviction ban dismissed
Former adjudicator with Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board, Harry Fine, said a group called the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario [ACTO] had filed a notice of motion to try and extend the temporary ban on evictions — but that it was dismissed by a justice over the August long weekend.
"Now the sheriff [enforcement officer] can go ahead with enforcing the evictions that have been on hold," said Fine.