The Ontario government will spend an additional $1.4 million on the Landlord and Tenant Board to allow it to hire over 35 additional operational staff to issue decisions and orders faster and help tackle the high number of cases before the board.
The money is in addition to the $4.5 million announced earlier this year, which will be used to recruit more adjudicators and further help the Landlord and Tenant Board to address longstanding backlog issues.
“Residents and rental housing providers will get faster results, shorter wait times and a better overall experience when they need to engage the board,” said said Attorney General Doug Downey in a news release.
This funding will also enable the board to create a centre of excellence for client engagement to better assist those involved in cases before the board.
In summer 2021, the Ministry of the Attorney General announced a new multi-year plan aimed at enhancing access to the justice system, which includes $28.5-million in a new digital case-management and dispute-resolution system for Ontario’s tribunals. The Landlord and Tenant Board became the first to use Tribunals Ontario’s new digital case management system, an end-to-end solution that includes online dispute resolution and features to help with mediation.
“These additional resources will provide welcome assistance in addressing the backlog of cases and challenges that resulted from COVID-related delays.” said Sean Weir, Executive Chair of Tribunals Ontario.
“We recognize the important role the Landlord and Tenant Board plays in resolving housing-related disputes,” said Tony Irwin, President and CEO of the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario.
The Landlord and Tenant Board presently has 87 full-time and part-time adjudicators to resolve disputes between residential landlords and tenants. It also handles eviction applications filed by non-profit housing co-operatives under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006.