Rising backlog of landlord-tenant disputes causing tensions to boil over
A dispute that resulted in charges being laid against a landlord in Barrie last week is serving as an anecdote for just how dire the situation regarding unresolved cases is in Ontario.
On Thursday, police in Barrie arrested and charged a landlord accused of entering a rental property and turning off the utilities without notifying her tenant.
According to police, the tenant returned home to a cold house with no power or gas supply and called officers.
While an extreme case, tensions for landlords and tenants alike on both sides of the issue are boiling over as backlogs at Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board continue to rise.
According to Ontario Tribunals Annual 2022-2023 report, there were more than 53,000 unresolved cases at the end of March last year. That figure is significantly higher than the Ontario Ombudsman's 38,000 backlog number reported in May.
"Hearings can take up to a year to get a date in front of the Landlord Tenant Board, sometimes even more," said Joshua Valler, a partner at Barriston Law in Barrie.
Valler said the backlogs can make some landlords feel like they have to take matters into their own hands.
"On the flip side, we've got tenants who are getting frustrated with substandard living accommodations," he said.
The standstill has allowed slum lords and problematic tenants to take advantage of the situation, according to Valler.
"We are seeing that, where you've got those professional renters that are taking advantage of the system and the delays that are associated with that, so that's a risk that you're going to have to factor into the decision in regards to having a rental income property," he said.
"But I think we have an affordable housing crisis in this country where people can't afford to buy their own homes, so they are left with no other option but to rent and then you've got this dichotomy between renters and landlords, and it's difficult to reconcile those two," Valler added.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
According to a Rentals.ca February report, average rents nationally have increased to nearly $2,200, which is a 10 per cent increase from last year, and a 20 per cent increase from two years ago.
The same report lists Barrie as the 12th most expensive city to rent in.
"I think until real changes are made, landlords are going to be reluctant," said Paul Portman, associate lawyer at Epstein and Associates. "The cards are sort of stacked against landlords; at least they feel that way; that's what my clients are telling me."
Portman specializes in landlord-tenant disputes, representing clients on both sides. One issue he highlights is the limited parameters for evictions.
"I think a good balance to consider might be to expand the reasons for evictions," he said. "A landlord still only has three or four reasons to evict a tenant right, they haven't paid rent, they're selling a home; I think we could expand those reasons and still be fair to the tenants by giving them a certain notice period."
Portman points to the N12 form, a notice to end tenancy for the purpose of the owner or family member to move into the residence for at least one year, as one-way landlord-tenant disputes could be expedited.
"That's a very common application, probably one of the easier ones for the landlord," he added. "Even there, you have a 60-day notice period, and the tenant doesn't have to leave, so there is still a hearing date, which is a year out. I think there could be expedited ways of doing that, even if it's just an amendment to that particular application to say after those 60 days, within 60 more days or 30 more days, there would be a hearing."
CTV News did not hear back from Ontario's Attorney General's Office for comment, but Valler and Portman said the province has begun working on hiring more full-time and part-time adjudicators as part of the dozens of recommendations made by Ontario's Ombudsman.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.5539352.1628465336!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
DEVELOPING First responders relocated from Jasper National Park to Hinton due to wildfire activity
Vehicles and heavy equipment have been seen leaving Jasper National Park throughout Wednesday afternoon.
2 wildfires less than 8 km away from Jasper townsite, some structures impacted in national park
As the evacuation order continues for Jasper National Park, officials confirm that some structures in the park have been damaged by fire, but they can't confirm what those structures are.
WATCH LIVE Biden uses Oval Office address to explain his decision to quit 2024 race, begin to shape legacy
Insisting that 'the defence of democracy is more important than any title,' U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday explained in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and to throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.
Wildfire north of Calgary prompts evacuation alert, highway closures
A wildfire is prompting evacuations and highway closures north of Calgary.