Ontario Invests $19M to Help Tackle Housing Crisis

Funding will help appoint more impartial adjudicators at the OLT and LTB and support additional technology at the land tribunal to resolve cases faster.

“Ontarians deserve the opportunity to find the right home for them, and government bureaucracy should never stand in the way,” says Attorney General Doug Downey. “We are making even more investments in the Ontario Land Tribunal and the Landlord and Tenant Board to help clear longstanding backlogs and drive faster decisions so we can get more shovels in the ground.”

This investment addresses a key recommendation in the Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force to increase resources at the Ontario Land Tribunal so homes can be built faster.

“We recognize the important role the Ontario Land Tribunal plays in the province’s housing supply, and we remain committed to the principled and timely resolutions of the matters before us,” says Greg Bishop, Alternate Chair for the Ontario Land Tribunal. “This investment will allow the Tribunal to schedule hearing events and issue decisions quicker and more efficiently than before, and we appreciate the support of the Ontario government to allow us to provide an even higher quality of service to Ontarians.”

Investments at the OLT will support faster case resolution by:

• Significantly increasing the number of full-time adjudicators and case processing staff
• Creating flexibility to address caseload trends by appointing more part-time adjudicators
• More than doubling the capacity for the use of expert land use planning mediators to help settle disputes earlier and narrow issues for faster adjudication
• Improving IT platforms to improve access to services online

Investments at the Landlord and Tenant Board will raise staffing to unprecedented new levels, allowing the Board to more quickly resolve existing backlogs.

“Our More Homes for Everyone plan proposes smart, targeted policies that make the approvals process work better and faster to help more Ontarians find the home that’s right for them. It lays a strong foundation for our long-term plan to deliver the Task Force and create multi-generational communities that work in every municipality,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “As the ultimate impartial adjudicator, investing in the Ontario Land Tribunal as well as the Landlord and Tenant Board will help break the cycle of delays and appeals – getting homes built faster and helping tenants and landlords resolve disputes.”

Quick Facts