If you’ve been investing in Ontario for any length of time, you’ve probably felt the strain of the province’s rental system. Long delays at the Landlord and Tenant Board. Uncertainty around eviction timelines. Cases that drag on for months. Even the most organized landlords have been left shaking their heads wondering why a simple non-payment file can take half a year to resolve.
This is why the passing of Bill 60 is getting so much attention. It marks a real shift in how Ontario plans to handle landlord-tenant disputes moving forward. Whether you see it as overdue reform or a controversial shake-up, it’s going to affect how you manage your rentals — and how you plan for what comes next.
The bill touches several areas of the system, but the big theme is speed and structure. The government wants cases to move faster. Tenant advocates feel the bill leans too far toward landlords. And investors are trying to understand what this means for their portfolios heading into 2026.
Here’s a deeper look at what matters, how it could play out in real life, and what smart landlords should be focusing on right now.
Faster Responses When Rent Stops Coming In
The biggest piece most landlords noticed right away is the change to the N4 timeline. Instead of waiting two weeks for the tenant to catch up, you now wait 7 days. That’s a huge difference in rental operations.
A shorter timeline doesn’t guarantee a smoother outcome, but it does give you clarity sooner. No more wondering for half a month whether you’re getting paid or whether the file is heading to the LTB. Most landlords aren’t looking to evict someone who just made a mistake; the shorter window simply gives you a clean read on whether the issue is temporary or whether you’re dealing with something bigger.
For tenants who are living tight, the shorter window may feel harsh — and that’s where a lot of the pushback is coming from. But from a business perspective, it prevents arrears from spiraling out of control before the process even starts.
The Hearing Room Won’t Be a Free-For-All Anymore
One of the major frustrations landlords have had for years is walking into an LTB hearing and discovering that the case they prepared for is suddenly a completely different one. A tenant brings up repair issues they never mentioned before. A new complaint appears halfway through the file. The narrative shifts, and the whole thing gets pushed out for another day.
Bill 60 puts structure around that.
Tenants now have to give proper notice if they want repair issues to be considered as part of their defence. In certain cases, they may need to pay a portion of the arrears before the issue even gets on the table.
This doesn’t mean legitimate repair concerns are ignored. Those still matter — and they should. But it reduces the number of last-minute twists that send landlords back to the end of the line.
This is where being a responsible landlord pays off. If you’ve kept up with repairs and kept documentation, these hearings should feel much more straightforward. If you haven’t, you’ll want to tighten that up fast — the room for improvisation has basically disappeared.
No More Surprise Evidence
Anyone who’s been to enough LTB hearings has seen it: a tenant pulls out screenshots or photos that no one has laid eyes on before, and suddenly the hearing veers in a different direction.
Bill 60 puts a stop to that.
Evidence has to be submitted in advance. Both sides know what’s coming. Both sides can prepare. This makes the hearing process more professional and less reactive, which is generally a good thing for landlords who take organization seriously.
It also raises the value of having your records in order — rent receipts, messages, notices, everything. If you’ve been treating your rental like a business, this is where that discipline pays off.
Decisions Won’t Drag Out As Long
Another change that matters more than people realize: the appeal window is shrinking to 15 days. No more month-long limbo where you’ve technically “won” the case but can’t do anything with the unit because you’re waiting to see if an appeal comes in.
Fifteen days doesn’t fix everything, but it does mean you can move forward with the next step faster — advertising, repairs, re-tenanting, refinancing, whatever your plan is.
The flip side is obvious: if the decision goes against you, you don’t have much time to respond. That means every part of your preparation matters even more.
Personal-Use Evictions Get a Big Shift
For years, if a landlord needed a tenant to move out because they or a family member needed the home, the law required landlords to pay one month’s rent as compensation. Bill 60 removes that requirement.
This is one of the most talked-about parts of the bill, and for good reason.
For small landlords — the ones who own a single condo or a duplex — this can be a big relief. Life changes. Jobs change. Family situations change. Sometimes a landlord genuinely needs the home back. Removing the compensation requirement makes that process more manageable.
But this is also the part that has critics the most worked up. They worry it opens the door for misuse of the “personal use” reason. If you ever go this route, make sure it’s genuine, well-documented, and in full compliance with the law. Personal-use cases are the quickest way to end up in the news if handled sloppily.
What This Means for Investors on the Ground
Now that the dust is settling, the real question is what all of this means for you as an investor.
Here’s the reality:
Ontario remains one of the strongest rental markets in the country. Population growth, immigration, limited inventory, and years of under-building have kept demand strong. The challenge has always been the system — long delays, uncertainty, and inconsistent outcomes.
Bill 60 aims to make the system easier to navigate. It won’t solve every problem, and there will be bumps as it rolls out, but it does bring some needed structure.
Investors who manage their rentals professionally will likely find this update helpful. The ones who take shortcuts or rely on the system being slow may find the environment less forgiving.
This is the moment to strengthen your operations:
• Screen thoroughly.
• Document everything.
• Keep repairs timely.
• Communicate early when issues come up.
• Know the law well enough to stay ahead of problems rather than reacting to them.
The bill won’t make a bad landlord good. It will, however, give good landlords a more predictable framework to work within.
Practical Steps to Take Now
If you’re watching this bill roll out and wondering what to actually do with this information, here are some straightforward steps:
- Have your notices and templates reviewed. A quick check-in with a paralegal or lawyer now can save you headaches later.
- Turn your documentation into a system, not a scramble. Whether you use software or a simple folder structure, consistency matters.
- Revisit your screening process. This is still your best protection against future problems.
- Keep communication calm and clear. Many issues never escalate when expectations are set properly.
- Stay plugged into updates. Bills like this often evolve once people start using the system under the new rules.
Final Thought
Bill 60 marks a meaningful shift in Ontario’s rental landscape. Some landlords will welcome the changes. Some will approach them cautiously. Either way, the update is here, and adjusting your approach now will make the next year far easier.
If you take your rental business seriously, act fairly, keep good records, and communicate well, you’ll be in a strong position under these new rules. If you tend to operate reactively, this is your moment to tighten things up.
Ontario just changed the playbook. The landlords who stay informed and adapt will be the ones who come out ahead. If you operate with professionalism and clarity, Bill 60 may actually give you some breathing room that hasn’t been there in years.
