Ontario’s housing system has long been strained by rising demand, limited supply, and a dispute-resolution framework struggling to keep pace. Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, represents a serious attempt to modernize this framework by reducing delays at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) and accelerating housing development. While the bill is a constructive step, it overlooks a key distinction: the difference between large corporate landlords and small family landlords who own five units or fewer. Recognizing these groups as fundamentally different is essential for creating a fairer and more functional rental system.
What Bill 60 Tries to Fix
Bill 60 addresses some of the most persistent problems in Ontario’s rental adjudication system. Over the past several years, LTB wait times have reached historic levels. According to provincial data and industry reports:
- Landlords filing for non-payment evictions have waited an average of 7–9 months for a hearing in many regions.
- Tenants filing maintenance or habitability complaints have often waited 10–12 months for a hearing.
- In some severe cases, both parties have reported waits of a full year or more before an order is issued.
This prolonged timeline is unfair to everyone. Landlords face financial strain when rent goes unpaid for months, while tenants endure long delays before maintenance concerns or illegal landlord actions are addressed. Bill 60 attempts to reduce this backlog by clarifying rules around persistent late payment, shortening review timelines, and creating a more predictable process overall. These reforms signal a willingness to fix a system that has left both sides frustrated.
Why Small Family Landlords Face Unique Pressures
Despite its improvements, Bill 60 does not account for a critical reality: not all landlords operate under the same conditions. Small family landlords—those with five units or fewer—often enter the rental market as individual homeowners or families looking to supplement their income or offset mortgage costs. Their financial margins are thin, and they typically lack the resources and infrastructure available to large corporate housing providers.
When a tenant stops paying rent, the impact on a small landlord is immediate and personal. A few months of unpaid rent can mean:
- struggling to cover the mortgage
- falling behind on property tax payments
- tapping into personal savings or credit
- facing long-term credit damage
- being forced to sell the property altogether
LTB delays amplify these problems. For instance, if a landlord must wait eight months for a hearing and then another month or two for enforcement, the financial loss can be overwhelming. Many small landlords operate as single-property owners, and disruptions can have life-altering consequences.
Corporate Landlords Have Advantages That Families Do Not
On the other end of the spectrum, corporate landlords typically own dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of rental units. Their operations include professional property management, legal departments, dedicated maintenance teams, and substantial financial reserves. For these organizations, a problematic tenancy or extended LTB delay becomes a manageable operational issue rather than a personal financial crisis.
Corporate landlords also have access to systems and policies that allow them to respond strategically to turnover and market rent adjustments. While Bill 60 applies equally to all landlords, its procedural changes inevitably benefit corporate operators more because they are better equipped to navigate the system efficiently. This creates an imbalance that the legislation does not currently address.
Tenants Also Need Fair and Timely Protections
Just as small landlords face hardship from lengthy delays, tenants also experience significant challenges when the system moves too slowly. Many tenants have documented experiences such as:
- waiting nearly a year for hearings involving no-heat, no-hot-water, or safety issues
- enduring harassment, improper notices, or unaddressed repairs during long wait periods
- facing uncertainty when appealing decisions or seeking clarity on their rights
Efficient hearings protect tenants from living in unsafe or unfair conditions. A system that delivers clear and timely rulings benefits renters who are acting in good faith and need legitimate issues addressed quickly. Bill 60 takes meaningful steps in this direction, but tenants could benefit even further if corporate landlords were held to stronger compliance standards given their size and resources.
Why Ontario Needs a Two-Tiered Approach
A balanced and equitable rental framework should recognize the fundamental differences between corporate landlords and small family landlords. Clear categories would allow Ontario to tailor policies appropriately without compromising fairness.
For Small Family Landlords (1–5 units)
- expedited hearings for clear non-payment cases
- reduced notice periods for documented chronic arrears
- simplified procedural steps
- stronger and clearer rights for legitimate “own-use” evictions
- access to landlord-side legal information or support programs
These measures would not weaken tenant rights—they would ensure that small landlords are not financially devastated by chronic delays or abuse of process.
For Corporate Landlords (6+ units)
- enhanced reporting and transparency requirements
- stronger enforcement against bad-faith or renoviction practices
- increased penalties for non-compliance
- stricter oversight mechanisms
Large landlords have the capacity to meet these standards, and doing so helps protect tenants from systemic issues that smaller landlords simply do not have the ability to perpetuate.
Conclusion: Bill 60 Is a Start, but Not the Finish Line
Bill 60 is an important development for Ontario’s rental housing system. It acknowledges the urgency of LTB reform and takes meaningful steps toward improving efficiency and clarity. However, a one-size-fits-all approach cannot fully address the realities of a rental market that ranges from individual homeowners to large-scale corporate operators. By introducing a distinction between family landlords and corporate landlords, Ontario could create a more balanced framework that protects vulnerable tenants, supports responsible small landlords, and ensures long-term stability in the rental housing supply.
As the province continues its efforts to modernize the housing system, recognizing this distinction will be essential for building a fair, effective, and sustainable rental market for all Ontarians.
