Toronto’s New Renovictions Bylaw Takes Effect July 31
Toronto landlords will need a city-issued licence before requiring tenants to vacate for renovations, as part of new protections against bad faith evictions.
Starting Thursday, July 31, Toronto will implement its new Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw, designed to curb so-called renovictions—evictions carried out under the guise of renovations to increase rents or prevent tenants from returning to their homes.
The bylaw, first adopted by City Council in November 2024, establishes a licensing process for landlords planning renovations that require tenants to vacate under Ontario’s N13 notice provisions. According to the City, renovictions disproportionately affect low-income and marginalized communities, contributing to housing insecurity and the loss of affordable rental units.
What Landlords Must Do
Under the new rules, landlords must:
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Apply for and obtain a Rental Renovation Licence before beginning any renovation that requires tenants to leave.
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Provide formal notifications to affected tenants.
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Submit proof of building permits and evidence that vacant possession is necessary.
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Offer temporary housing or rent-gap compensation, along with moving allowances.
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Provide severance rent-gap compensation if a tenant chooses not to return after renovations.
Landlords must also show continued compliance at each stage of the process. Failure to secure a licence could result in violations and penalties under the new bylaw.
What Tenants Can Expect
Tenants will be able to access:
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A public online registry to verify whether their landlord has applied for the required licence.
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The ability to report suspected violations directly to the City.
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Free legal information, rights support, and multi-lingual assistance through the Toronto Tenant Support Program by calling 311.
The City emphasizes that this framework aims to ensure a transparent, regulated process that protects tenants’ rights while allowing legitimate renovations to proceed responsibly.
Official Statements
Mayor Olivia Chow stated in the release:
“All Torontonians deserve a safe and secure place to live. With this new bylaw, we will help curb renovictions, and ensure tenants are not unfairly evicted from their homes. This work does not only support tenants, but it ensures we preserve existing affordable rental housing which is a key priority to address the affordable housing crisis.”
Councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto-Danforth) added:
“After working hard over many years to put in place rules to protect tenants and our affordable housing supply from renovictions, I’m so proud the city’s new renovictions bylaw will soon come into effect. Thank you to all the tenants, housing advocates and activists for your many years of advocacy and hard work to help get this bylaw over the finish line.”
More Information
Residents can learn more about the Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw, including the application process and tenant resources, by visiting toronto.ca/RentalRenoLicence.
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