Ontario is pausing residential evictions during the state of emergency and stay-at-home order, but the NDP’s tenant rights critic says the move doesn’t go far enough.
MPP Suze Morrison said Jan. 14 the Ford government doesn’t help those who have been ordered from their homes prior to today’s announcement.
"Thousands of people in Ontario are at risk of being thrown out of their homes, through no fault of their own, after losing income this year because of COVID-19. Calling off the sheriffs at the eleventh hour from enforcing evictions that have already been ordered will not keep folks housed and safe," said Morrison in a news release.
The Ontario government announced Jan. 14 that it has issued an emergency order to temporarily pause the enforcement of residential evictions. The goal, the province said, is to ensure people are not forced from their homes during the provincial declaration of emergency and while the stay-at-home-order is in force.
"By temporarily pausing residential evictions, we are ensuring that all Ontarians are able to stay home, stay safe, and save lives," said Steve Clark, minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "Our government will ensure that residential evictions continue to be paused for the remainder of the state of emergency, as long as it lasts."
Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act also require the Landlord and Tenant Board to consider whether a landlord attempted to negotiate a repayment agreement, before resorting to an eviction for non-payment of rent during COVID-19.
Morrison also criticized what she called “loopholes” in the order that still allow people to be evicted.
The order still allows "any evictions to continue at the discretion of the Landlord and Tenant Board,” Morrison said. “His government needs to stop putting out contradictory information and unequivocally ban evictions – that means a moratorium on all eviction notices, hearings and orders, as well as the suspension of eviction enforcement by the sheriff for the entire duration of the pandemic.”
The NDP is further calling for rent relief for those who have lost income during the pandemic.
