The Ontario government has announced changes to legislation to reduce red tape over several government departments, including the beleaguered Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). According to the backgrounder, the changes will update old regulations, remove excessive paperwork, and improve transparencies to tackle the backlog, which it says is causing “significant stress and uncertainty for tenants and landlords alike.”

Proposed efficiencies to the LTB include: allowing the Landlord Tenant Board to overlook small mistakes in applications (such as a wrong unit number or a misspelled name), if the mistakes don’t cause confusion to avoid unnecessary refiling of applications; and allowing the executive chair of the board to reassign the case to a new adjudicator if the original is unable (or fails to) complete a hearing.

To enhance accountability and strengthen transparency, the government is exploring the feasibility of arrangements with one or more registered consumer reporting agencies to facilitate access to Landlord and Tenant Board orders where tenants have a history of missed payments.

Ontario will also enhance online information about rights and responsibilities relating to consumer reporting agencies and collection agencies to “empower tenants by helping them understand their rights” and to “assist landlords in making more informed decisions when selecting prospective tenants,” including accessing rental payment histories.

Strengthening the use of credit scores for non-compliance with payment orders will further support a reliable and transparent rental system.

“By implementing these changes, we can deliver quicker resolutions, reduce waiting times, and ensure a fairer process for everyone involved,” the government asserts. “This is about making our system more responsive and effective at a time when efficiency is more important than ever.”

For more information, visit: Fall 2024 Red Tape Reduction Package | ontario.ca