The Landlord and Tenant Board is an independent tribunal established under the Residential Tenancies Act that resolves disputes between landlords and tenants in Ontario. The LTB has authority to hear applications for eviction, rent increases above the guideline, maintenance and repair orders, rent reductions, harassment claims, and other tenancy matters. The LTB operates separately from the court system and has its own procedures and rules. Adjudicators at the LTB are appointed by the government and have the power to make binding orders that can be enforced through the court system if necessary.

Yes, licensed paralegals are authorized by the Law Society of Ontario to provide full representation at Landlord and Tenant Board hearings. This includes reviewing notices, filing applications and responses, preparing evidence and legal submissions, negotiating settlements, conducting examinations and cross-examinations at hearings, and handling all aspects of LTB proceedings. Paralegals must carry professional liability insurance and follow the same ethical rules as lawyers regarding competence, confidentiality, and professional conduct. Many people choose paralegals for LTB matters because of the specialized focus and typically lower costs compared to hiring a lawyer.

Wait times from filing to hearing in Toronto currently range from eight to twelve weeks depending on the application type and time of year. Emergency matters like illegal lockouts can sometimes be scheduled within days. The hearing itself typically lasts thirty minutes to two hours depending on how many witnesses testify, how much evidence is presented, and whether the parties reach a settlement. Complex cases involving multiple issues or numerous witnesses can take longer. Most hearings are now conducted virtually via video conference, which has helped reduce some delays but wait times remain significant due to high volume.

Essential documents include your lease or tenancy agreement, rent receipts or payment records, all notices you’ve received from your landlord, written communications between you and your landlord, photographs showing relevant conditions or damage, maintenance requests and responses, and any other documents that support your position. If you’re claiming financial losses, bring receipts or estimates. If witnesses will testify, prepare written statements summarizing what they’ll say. Documents must be organized chronologically and copies provided to the other party before the hearing. Missing or disorganized evidence weakens your case significantly, even if you’re in the right.

There is no prohibition against winter evictions in Ontario. If the LTB issues an eviction order, enforcement can proceed regardless of the season or weather. The only restriction is that evictions cannot be enforced on weekends, public holidays, or between the hours of 8 PM and 8 AM. Some tenants mistakenly believe there’s a winter eviction ban, but this is not accurate under Ontario law. However, adjudicators do have discretion to consider circumstances including weather and availability of alternative housing when deciding whether to grant or delay eviction, and they may impose conditions on eviction orders that effectively provide more time in hardship situations.

Financial hardship doesn’t eliminate your obligation to pay rent, but it can be raised at an LTB hearing to request relief from eviction. If you’ve received an N4 notice for non-payment, you can still void it by paying all arrears within fourteen days or before the hearing. At the hearing, you can ask the adjudicator for a payment plan allowing you to catch up over time while remaining in the unit. The LTB considers factors like the amount owing, length of tenancy, your payment history before the arrears, efforts you’ve made to pay or seek assistance, and your ability to meet a payment plan. Showing that circumstances have changed or that you’ve taken steps to address the situation improves your chances of getting relief.

Tenants in Ontario have the right to have roommates and guests without landlord approval, as long as occupancy doesn’t exceed health and safety standards and doesn’t cause overcrowding. Your lease cannot prohibit roommates or restrict guests, even if it says so. However, landlords can serve an N5 notice if additional occupants create substantial interference with others’ reasonable enjoyment, cause damage to the property, or create genuine overcrowding that affects health or safety. The landlord must prove the interference or overcrowding, not just that additional people are present. If served an N5 for this reason, you have seven days to remedy the situation on a first notice, and you can defend at a hearing by showing the allegations aren’t accurate or don’t meet the legal threshold.

A sale of the property does not end your tenancy. Your lease continues with the new owner, who must honour all existing terms including rent amount and tenancy conditions. The new owner cannot evict you simply because they purchased the building. However, if the new owner or their immediate family member intends to move into your unit, they can serve an N12 notice for landlord’s own use. If the building will be demolished or converted to non-residential use, an N13 notice can be served. In both cases, proper notice must be given along with compensation. Be cautious about N12 notices served shortly after a sale, as these are sometimes challenged as bad faith evictions where the real purpose is to remove rent-controlled tenants rather than genuine occupancy by the owner.

If you believe the LTB made a serious error in your case, you can request a review within thirty days of the order being issued. Reviews are granted only in limited circumstances such as when the adjudicator made an error that seriously affected the outcome, you weren’t reasonably able to participate in the hearing, or the order contains a serious error. The review is conducted by a different LTB adjudicator who can confirm, vary, or set aside the original order. Alternatively, you can seek judicial review at the Divisional Court if you believe the LTB made an error in law or exceeded its jurisdiction. Judicial review requires filing an application within thirty days and is a complex legal process where success rates are low. Professional legal representation is essential for appeals and reviews.

Section 83 of the Residential Tenancies Act requires the LTB to consider all circumstances when deciding whether to grant eviction, refuse eviction, or delay eviction with conditions. This means that even if the landlord proves their case, the adjudicator has discretion to deny eviction or grant conditional orders if circumstances warrant. Factors considered include the length of your tenancy, your payment history, whether you tried to remedy problems, the reason for late payments or other issues, whether children or vulnerable people would be affected by eviction, availability of other housing, and any other relevant circumstances. Section 83 relief is not automatic and must be specifically requested with evidence supporting why it should be granted. This is where personal circumstances, hardship, and mitigating factors are most relevant.

You have the right to represent yourself at LTB hearings, and many people do so successfully for straightforward matters. However, professional representation significantly improves your chances when issues are complex, evidence needs careful organization, legal arguments need to be made, or the other party is represented. A paralegal or lawyer knows LTB procedures, understands what evidence matters, can cross-examine the other side’s witnesses effectively, makes persuasive legal submissions, and handles procedural issues that arise. For eviction defense, representation is strongly recommended because losing means losing your home. For landlords pursuing eviction or collecting arrears, representation helps ensure proper procedure is followed and maximizes chances of a favourable order.