As COVID-19 variants surge throughout the country, what do the latest lockdown measures mean for residential landlords?

The Ontario government has issued an emergency order to temporarily pause the enforcement of residential evictions for the second time since March 2020.

Provincial intervention in the commercial sector is limited to tenants who meet the prerequisites for Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance, but whose landlords have not applied for the relief.

Ontario has moved ahead with the controversial Bill 184 despite opposition from tenant advocates claiming it will lead to mass evictions.

In his latest bulletin, Joe Hoffer of Cohen Highley LLP, says landlords should expect LTB hearings to resume in September, once the backlog of pending eviction orders has cleared.

Ontario’s Bill 184 has raised the ire of tenant advocacy groups over concerns it will drive renters further into debt while making evictions easier for landlords.

The B.C. government announced it has extended the temporary rental supplement (TRS) until the end of August 2020. It will also maintain the moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent.

AS COVID-19 continues to spread in Ontario prompting the Ford Government to declare a state of emergency, the Province also announced all new eviction orders will be suspended until further notice.