Bill 60 Has Passed!Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025What Ontarians Need to Know About The New Legislation

Ontario’s rental framework is no longer just a proposed Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, this has passed and although not yet in effect will soon come into force, bringing along with it sweeping changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) and procedures at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). These reforms are aimed at tackling issues such as persistent delays at the LTB and streamlining non-payment proceedings. For landlords, this could mean shorter timelines, strengthened enforcement tools, and clearer expectations for tenants on certain procedural matters.

Shortened N4 Timeline

Under the new legislation, there is shortened N4 timeline. Monthly tenancies, which previously required at least 14 days’ notice before an N4 termination could take effect, will now shift to a minimum of 7 days. Bill 60 amends RTA s.59(1) so that all non-payment termination dates may take effect no earlier than 7 days after service. This effectively cuts the notice period in half, allowing landlords to act faster when rent isn’t paid and potentially preventing arrears from accumulating.

No new repair or maintenance issues to be raised on the day of an arrears hearing

Bill 60 also eliminates the ability for tenants to raise new repair or maintenance issues on the day of an arrears hearing. Previously, tenants , although asked to provide notice of these issues prior to the hearing, could still raise such issues without prior notice if they offered a satisfactory reason, which frequently resulted in adjournments and significant delays. The new rules require tenants to give prior notice in accordance with LTB timelines or risk being barred from raising those issues at the hearing altogether. This change alone is intended to substantially reduce adjournments and shorten the life cycle of rent arrears cases.

The New 50% Rule.

A further shift is the introduction of the 50% rule. Tenants who wish to raise repair or maintenance counterclaims at a non-payment hearing will now need to meet certain prerequisites, including paying 50% of the arrears claimed before the hearing begins. This aims to discourage strategic or bad faith withholding of rent, ensuring that only genuine issues are raised and that landlords are not left carrying the financial burden of prolonged non-payment.

Shortened Time to Request Reviews

Bill 60 also shortens the time available to request an LTB review of a final order. Presently, parties have 30 days to request a review; under the new amendments, the timeline will be reduced to 15 days, with extensions only in exceptional circumstances. This is expected to help move cases toward final resolution more efficiently and reduce post order delays.

Persistent Late Payments Defined

Another important reform concerns persistent late payment of rent. The RTA already permits eviction for persistent late payment, but the legislation has never defined what “persistent” truly means, sometimes resulting in inconsistent and unpredictable outcomes. Bill 60 grants the government authority to define “persistent late payment” through future regulations, giving both landlords and tenants better clarity and consistency when dealing with late payments.

Landlord’s-own-use (N12) Compensation Requirement Changed

Landlord’s-own-use (N12) applications are also seeing notable changes. Under Bill 60, the usual compensation requirement which is one month’s rent or an acceptable alternative unit will no longer apply when a landlord provides 120 days’ notice. Compensation will still apply when the notice period is between 60 and 119 days. This approach is intended to simplify legitimate family-use applications while ensuring that tenants still receive adequate time to relocate.

Standardized Termination Forms

Additionally, Bill 60 authorizes the government to prescribe the contents of standardized termination forms, including the N4. This is designed to improve clarity, reduce errors, and limit administrative dismissals caused by form defects. Landlords and Tenants should expect updated government-issued templates once the Bill comes into force along with new regulations.

Postponement of an Eviction Order

The legislation also tightens rules around postponing eviction orders. Bill 60 introduces regulation making authority to set clear factors that adjudicators must consider when deciding whether to postpone enforcement. This aims to prevent misuse of postponement motions.

Setting Aside an Eviction Order

We can expect a future regulation to set out certain conditions or circumstances required for an eviction order to be set aside.  There will therefore be changes to the current framework where under certain circumstances a tenant can make a motion to the LTB for an order to be set aside within 10 days of the issue date of that order.

Increased Eviction Enforcement Resources

As a final point, Bill 60 addresses delays in eviction enforcement by increasing resources within Ontario’s Sheriff’s offices. The province will add up to eight additional enforcement officers to improve timelines, particularly in high-volume regions, and ensure that eviction orders are carried out more efficiently once granted.

Bill 60 represents one of the most substantial procedural shifts in recent years, fundamentally reshaping Ontario’s legislations governing landlords and tenants. With shorter notice periods, stricter procedural requirements, limits on last-minute tenant issues, and clarified rules for owner-use applications, both landlords and tenants can expect a more predictable and timelier path to resolving certain tenancy issues.

If you’re unsure how the new legislation may affect your rental property or tenancy, we will guide you every step of the way.

At AJ Murray Legal Services P.C., you get a professional, proficient, and results-driven team by your side that you can always count on.

This post provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice about your specific matter, please contact our office to schedule a consultation.