Bill C60 and the Future of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act: What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know in 2025

Ontario has introduced some of the most significant changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA) in years. These reforms appear in Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025—legislation that has now received Royal Assent and is being rolled out in stages as new regulations and updated Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) procedures are developed.

These changes will reshape how disputes are handled at the LTB, how quickly arrears applications move, and what rights and responsibilities apply when tenancies end. Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, understanding these new rules is essential.

As a licensed paralegal in Ontario, I’ve prepared a clear, balanced breakdown of what’s changing and how it may affect you.

Why Bill 60 Matters Now

The stated goal of Bill 60 is to “fight delays” at the LTB and streamline eviction procedures. In practice, the reforms:

• accelerate landlord applications, especially for non-payment of rent
• place new restrictions on tenant defences
• tighten timelines for reviews and appeals
• impose new administrative requirements (including updated termination forms)
• create new regulation-making powers that will continue shaping the RTA in 2025–2026

Some provisions are already in force; others will take effect as regulations are finalized. This means both landlords and tenants must stay alert to updates—forms, deadlines, and procedural rules will not be the same as in past years.

Key Changes for Landlords

Faster Non-Payment of Rent Process

For decades, landlords issuing an N4 Notice had to allow 14 days for a tenant to pay before filing an eviction application.

Bill 60 cuts this in half.

New rule: Landlords can file an L1 application after just 7 days of unpaid rent.

What this means for landlords:

• The eviction process can begin much sooner, reducing prolonged arrears.
• It becomes more important to issue N4s promptly and accurately.
• Any errors in notice or service become riskier, since cases move faster and there is less opportunity to correct mistakes.

New Restrictions on Tenant Defences in Arrears Cases

Under the old rules, tenants could raise issues like needed repairs or landlord harassment at an arrears hearing—even if they hadn’t filed their own application.

Bill 60 significantly restricts this ability.

Tenants must now:

1. Meet stricter notice requirements, and
2. Pay 50% of the arrears claimed before they are allowed to raise these issues in a landlord’s application.

Benefit to landlords:

• Fewer “surprise” counter-claims at the hearing.
• Arrears hearings are likely to focus more tightly on rent owed.
• Tenants are encouraged to bring their own applications rather than derail the landlord’s case.

Clearer Path for Persistent Late Payment Evictions

A new section of the RTA allows the government to define “persistent late payment of rent” by regulation.

While the exact criteria are pending, this likely means:

• landlords will be able to evict chronic late-paying tenants more easily, and
• the LTB will have clearer guidelines on what counts as “persistent.”

For landlords with tenants who repeatedly pay late by just a few days, this could be a meaningful new tool—once regulations are published.

Changes to Landlord’s Own-Use (N12) Requirements

Currently, landlords must pay one month’s rent as compensation when ending a tenancy for personal use of the unit.

Bill 60 introduces a new exception to that rule in certain circumstances—specifically where 120 days’ notice is provided.

Impact:

• Some small landlords will face reduced costs when reclaiming units for their own use.
• But strict penalties for bad-faith terminations remain fully in force (including up to 12 months’ rent in compensation).

Proper documentation and good-faith evidence will be more important than ever.

Faster Finality: Shorter Review Timelines

Bill 60 reduces the time to request a review of an LTB order:

• Old rule: 30 days
• New rule: 15 days

This means orders become final much faster.

Why landlords benefit:

• Shorter delays between an order and enforcement
• Fewer multiple review attempts by tenants
• Greater certainty once an eviction order is issued

Greater Access to LTB Orders and Records

Bill 60 supports expanded publication of LTB decisions online.

For landlords:

• This enhances tenant screening,
• Makes past rental histories and disputes easier to find,
• Helps identify patterns of problematic behaviour.

However, landlords must also ensure that screening practices comply with the Human Rights Code—especially when using LTB history as part of the decision-making process.

Key Changes for Tenants

Bill 60 has raised concerns among tenant advocacy groups, who argue that the legislation shifts procedural power toward landlords.

A. Shorter Time to Respond to N4 Notices

Seven days is a very short window for tenants to:

• gather funds
• apply for emergency rental assistance
• seek legal help from a legal clinic
• negotiate payment plans

This compresses timelines significantly and increases the risk of eviction for tenants living paycheque-to-paycheque.

The 50% “Paywall” on Defences

The new rule requiring tenants to pay half the arrears before raising repair or harassment issues is one of the most impactful changes.

For many tenants—especially those already in arrears—this is financially impossible.

Practical effect:

• Tenants will need to file their own T2 or T6 application instead of waiting for an L1 hearing.
• Issues like mould, pests, heat outages, or landlord interference will not serve as defences unless the tenant has already paid that 50%.

This dramatically changes the strategic landscape for tenant advocates.

Reduced Access to LTB Review Mechanisms

The 15-day limit to request a review, combined with new restrictions on the LTB’s discretion to stay or delay evictions, makes it harder for tenants to:

• fix mistakes,
• gather evidence,
• obtain last-minute relief,
• or benefit from compassionate discretion.

Increased Risk of Discrimination Through Public Records

As more LTB decisions become publicly available:

• tenants with past applications—even if dismissed—may face screening challenges
• vulnerable tenants may find it harder to secure new housing
• advocacy groups are raising the issue as a potential human-rights concern

This will likely be an area to watch in coming years.

Security of Tenure Remains Intact (For Now)

The government recently floated—and then backed away from—proposals that would have ended automatic month-to-month renewals at the end of a fixed term.

Those changes are not in Bill 60.

Tenants’ core protections remain:

• leases still automatically convert to month-to-month
• landlords still need a lawful ground to end the tenancy
• rent control rules (including vacancy decontrol) remain unchanged

Still, the government has given itself wide regulation-making power, meaning future changes could reappear.

What These Changes Mean in Practice

For Landlords

You should plan to:

• Use updated LTB-approved forms as soon as they are released
• Diarize 7-day and 15-day timelines carefully
• Keep meticulous records of payment dates and notices
• Document all communication in writing
• Seek legal advice before filing N12 applications

These reforms offer more efficiency—but only if landlords strictly follow the new rules.

For Tenants

Tenants should:

• Treat an N4 as an urgent situation (7 days is not long)
• Seek legal help immediately
• Document repair issues early and in writing
• Consider bringing proactive applications (T2/T6) for repair, harassment, or bad-faith concerns
• Apply early for financial assistance programs

Procedural rights still exist—but must be exercised quickly.

Final Thoughts: A Changing Landscape in 2025

Bill 60 represents a meaningful shift in Ontario’s rental housing framework.

• For landlords, it promises greater speed and predictability.
• For tenants, it raises new challenges around timelines, access to justice, and the ability to raise defences.

But many of the most impactful provisions—especially around “persistent late payment” and new limits on LTB discretion—will not become fully understood until accompanying regulations are released.

My office will continue to monitor these developments closely and publish updates as the regulations and new LTB procedures are announced.

If you are a landlord or tenant unsure how these changes affect your rights or obligations, I’m available to provide guidance tailored to your situation.