The Ontario legislature has passed Bill 60, a controversial housing bill that has sparked heated debate between the Ford government, housing advocates, and tenant organizations. If you’re one of the many Ontarians who rent your home, here’s what you need to understand about this new legislation and how it might affect you.

What Just Happened?

On Monday, November 24, 2025, Bill 60 passed despite significant opposition from housing advocates and renters across the province. The vote was so contentious that security had to clear the public gallery after members of ACORN Canada, a tenant advocacy group, began chanting in protest.

The Government’s Position

Housing Minister Rob Flack maintains that the bill protects tenants while encouraging more landlords to enter the rental market. The government’s argument centers on a simple economic principle: more housing supply creates competition, which should drive down rents. They claim no existing tenant protections are being removed, and the legislation targets “bad actors” who abuse the current system.

What Critics Are Saying

Housing advocates and opposition politicians paint a very different picture. They argue the legislation tips the scales heavily in favor of landlords and makes it significantly easier to evict tenants. Here are the specific changes causing concern:

Shorter Appeal Windows: Tenants will now have just 15 days to appeal a decision, down from the previous 30 days. This compressed timeline could make it harder for renters to gather documentation and legal support.

Evidence Restrictions: The bill blocks renters from introducing new evidence during Landlord and Tenant Board hearings, potentially limiting their ability to defend themselves.

Elimination of Compensation: Previously, landlords had to provide a month’s rent in compensation when evicting a tenant for personal use of the property. That requirement is gone.

Upfront Payment Requirement: Perhaps most controversially, tenants can no longer defend themselves at LTB hearings unless they first pay 50 percent of what the landlord claims they owe—before anything has been proven.

The Bigger Picture

This legislation arrives at a critical moment for Ontario’s housing market. With approximately 50 percent of Toronto residents renting their homes, changes to tenant protections have widespread implications. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and City Council have expressed concerns that the bill diminishes renters’ rights at a time when housing affordability is already a major crisis.

NDP Shadow Minister for Housing Catherine McKenney characterized the bill as one that “strips away protections, accelerates evictions, and hands more power to property management companies and corporations already driving rents through the roof.”

What This Means for You

If you’re a tenant in Ontario, you should be aware of these changes to your rights and the eviction process. The shortened appeal period means you’ll need to act quickly if you face an eviction. The upfront payment requirement could create a significant financial barrier if you’re disputing what you owe.

On the flip side, if the government’s theory proves correct and the legislation does encourage more rental housing construction, it could eventually increase housing supply. However, critics remain skeptical that these changes will lead to more affordable housing options.

Looking Ahead

The passage of Bill 60 represents a significant shift in Ontario’s landlord-tenant landscape. Whether it will achieve the government’s stated goals of increasing housing supply and rental stability, or whether it will lead to increased evictions and housing instability as critics fear, remains to be seen.

For now, Ontario renters should familiarize themselves with the new rules and consider seeking legal advice if they face any housing disputes. The changes are now law, and understanding your rights under this new framework is more important than ever.

What are your thoughts on Bill 60? Do you believe it will help or hurt renters in Ontario? The debate is far from over, and your voice matters in shaping future housing policy.