An amendment in proposed legislation dealing with co-op and rental housing was recently introduced by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Bill 14, Non-profit Housing Co-operatives Statute Law Amendment Act, 2013, includes an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) which would authorize the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to waive or defer fees it charges to low-income Ontarians, as is currently allowed in other courts and tribunals.
The proposed law deals primarily with housing co-operatives in Ontario. Currently, housing co-ops must appear at court to resolve eviction disputes. If Bill 14 is passed, co-ops would appear before the LTB based on grounds provided for under the RTA.
Unfortunately, the Bill does not allow for co-op residents to make applications to the LTB to resolve disputes about maintenance or other issues with their housing provider, nor are they allowed to mount defences to evictions based on harassment or repair issues.