This letter was presented to the Executive Committee on Nov 4, 2025 in response to item EX27.1 - Impacts of Provincial Legislation that Weakens Rental Protections by Stacia Stewart, Director, Research, Policy & Communications, and Melissa Wong, Director, Engagement & Strategic Initiatives. The item was adopted by the committee with amendments. It will be considered by the City Council on November 12, 13, and 14, 2025.
Dear Mayor and members of the Executive Committee,
Re: EX27.1 - Impacts of Provincial Legislation that Weakens Rental Protections
We write to you today regarding Bill 60 and the devastating impact it will have on tenants in Toronto and across Ontario. On behalf of Social Planning Toronto (SPT), we wish to express our support for EX27.1 and to thank you for your leadership in taking a stand against this egregious setback for tenant rights and affordable housing. Through our research and community engagement work, SPT and our partners have repeatedly witnessed how precarious and unaffordable housing diminishes quality of life across our city.
Over half of Toronto households are renters, and rental demand continues to grow—driven largely by younger residents (ages 15–34) and older adults (ages 55–74), especially in mid- and high-rise buildings. Many renters live in smaller households, with a noticeable rise in one-person and non-family units such as roommate arrangements. At the same time, families with children, lone-parent families, and newcomers are increasingly turning to rental apartments, often because homeownership is out of reach. These affordability pressures are made worse by discrimination in the rental market. In Toronto, newcomers are up to 11 times more likely to face discrimination than non-newcomers when searching for housing, particularly based on race, gender, and parental status (Canadian Centre for Housing Rights, 2022). As the housing crisis deepens, unfair treatment is becoming more common for those already facing systemic barriers.
Retract harmful changes
Housing in Toronto remains unaffordable. In the past decade, average rents in the Toronto region increased by 53.3%—nearly double the rate of inflation. With rental prices soaring, the provincial government should be taking action to protect tenants—not making it easier to evict them. Therefore, we support the Executive Committee recommendations that would eliminate the most harmful portions of Bill 60 including:
Withdrawing measures that fast-track evictions and limit tenants’ ability to defend themselves at the landlord tenant board. These proposed changes would disproportionately impact tenants who already face systemic barriers to housing stability, putting them at greater risk for homelessness. Reducing appeal windows and notice periods strips vulnerable residents of the time they need to access legal support, community services, or emergency assistance and further reduces the accessibility and inclusivity of the Landlord Tenant Board processes as a whole. Eviction policies should prioritize fairness, dignity, and the human right to housing—not speed—especially in a city working to address deep housing challenges and inequities.
In the past three years, homelessness in Toronto has more than doubled, affecting an estimated 15,400 residents. SPT and our partners have called for the City of Toronto to increase investments in tenant supports, which help tenants maintain their housing through legal and financial assistance. Changes proposed in Bill 60 will put further strain on the city’s finances, as Toronto tries to keep up with adequate supports for our existing unhoused and tenant populations..
Strengthen Tenant protections
To improve affordability and prevent homelessness, SPT supports the recommendations included in EX27.1 that would further strengthen the provincial Residential Tenancies Act, including:
End the rent control exemption for post-2018 buildings, reintroduce vacancy control legislation; and ban Above Guideline Increases. Toronto tenants need real rent control. The elimination of vacancy control and the ability to charge Above Guideline Increases, allows landlords to subvert rent control rules, creating instability for tenants who rely on predictable rental rates. Furthermore, the exemption for post-2018 buildings leaves renters in these units with no cap on rent increases, giving landlords the ability to increase rent to any price each year —essentially placing tenants at risk of eviction every year.
SPT is also encouraged by the efforts that the Executive Committee is willing to take to seek legal recourse to protect Toronto tenants. Many of SPT’s members work directly with low-income residents who struggle with housing affordability and finding suitable housing. They have the right to live in housing that is affordable, safe, and well-maintained. Bill 60 will remove many of the avenues that tenants have to advocate for the housing they deserve. Thank you for your consideration and for taking action to protect tenants, and uphold the right to housing in our city.
Sincerely,
Stacia Stewart, Director, Research, Policy & Communications
Melissa Wong, Director, Engagement & Strategic Initiatives