Ontario Landlords: Non-Payment of Rent Eviction (N4) New Rules Take Effect September 21, 2026 — What You Need to Know

Bill 60 Is Finally Here — Well, Almost. Part II

On November 27, 2025, Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025[1] (“Bill 60”) received the Royal Assent. Among other Acts, Bill 60, under its Schedule 12, sought to amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006[2] (“RTA”) on various issues. However, none of those amendments came into force in 2025. In fact, the province never announced a start date for the listed changes. The proposed changes never became law. Landlords waited without a clear timeline. Until now.

In addition to July 1, 2026, on September 21, 2026 some, but not all, of the Bill 60 changes will come into force and change the RTA. In this article, the landlord’s legal team at Gobin & Leyenson LLP identifies one of the changes that will become law on September 21, 2026, and explains how it affects residential landlords in Ontario. Follow us on social media to learn more and empower yourself as a residential landlord to make informed decisions about your rental investment property. Read our other articles HERE.

Non-payment of Rent Eviction

Currently

The most common eviction in Ontario is the non-payment of rent eviction. Over the years, countless stories have emerged of tenants owing thousands in rent — enjoying months, or even years, of free housing — only to be evicted and repeat the cycle elsewhere. In the end, residential landlords are left holding the bag. Thousands of dollars go uncollected. Recovery is not always realistic. Valuable time and money disappear into the eviction process. Worse still, delay after delay follows — whether imposed by the Landlord and Tenant Board or by the law itself, which permits tenants to file motions, requests for review, and appeals.

As a starting point, if the tenant fails to pay rent on the date set out in the lease, the landlord should deliver a notice of eviction for non-payment of rent (N4) the very next day. The law requires fourteen (14) days’ notice for any tenancy that is not daily or weekly. In other words, the termination date on the N4 must be at least 14 days after the tenant receives it.[2] Unlike other eviction notices, the N4 does not require the termination date to fall on the last day of the tenancy period. However, accurate calculation of the 14-day period is critical. A one-day error renders the N4 invalid. The LTB will refuse to grant the eviction.

If the tenant pays the outstanding rent during the 14-day notice period, no eviction can be sought. On the 15^th day, if the tenant still has not paid, the landlord may apply to the LTB for an eviction order. However, additional challenges await.

How Tenants Can Avoid Eviction

Notably, the LTB will discontinue the landlord’s eviction application if, before the eviction order issues, the tenant satisfies the LTB that:[3]

1. The rent arrears were paid to the landlord or to the Board;
2. Ongoing new rent was paid to the landlord or to the Board; and
3. The application filing fee was paid as well.

If the LTB issues an order evicting the tenant for non-payment of rent, before the eviction order becomes enforceable by the sheriff, the tenant may still pay the rent arrears, plus any ongoing new rent, any NSF charges, and any costs ordered by the LTB, and remain in the rental unit.[4]

Furthermore, even if the tenant splits payment — paying part to the landlord and the balance to the Board — the tenant may file a motion to cancel the eviction, without notice to the landlord. The Board does not hold an oral hearing. It reviews the written materials and issues an order cancelling the eviction.[5]

Remarkably, the tenant’s options do not end there. Even after the eviction order becomes enforceable, the sheriff does not execute it immediately. In that window, the tenant can bring a motion to the Board to set aside the eviction order entirely.[6]

What is Changing?

Bill 60 makes one change to the non-payment of rent eviction process as of September 21, 2026: the notice period. For any N4 notice served on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date can be as few as seven (7) days away — down from fourteen (14).[7]

Some may call this change minor. We disagree. In our view, it is one of the most significant RTA changes in 2026. Moreover, a shorter notice period means landlords can apply for an eviction order sooner — speeding up the entire process by at least one week.

All other requirements and tenant protections remain in place. Nevertheless, proactive landlords can use this change to their advantage. Paired with a consistent late-payment eviction process, the shorter notice period improves the odds of removing a non-paying tenant.

The Power of the Board

Evictions for non-payment of rent are also subject to the Board’s power to refuse or delay the eviction.[8] Importantly, this power exists regardless of any other provisions within the RTA, and Bill 60 makes no changes to it in 2026.

Many landlords will recall Bill 184, Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020[9] which, among other things, introduced subsection 83(6). Under that provision, the Board can deny or delay eviction of a non-paying tenant if the landlord refused — or failed — to negotiate a repayment agreement. This appeared to be a temporary pandemic-era measure. It was not. No end date has ever been introduced or proposed.[10]

This issue remains unchanged for September 21, 2026. As a result, landlords pursuing a rent arrears eviction should carefully review both s. 82 and s. 83 of the RTA before proceeding.

Landlord legal team at Gobin & Leyenson LLP invites you to follow us on social media, and stay updated on the changes and new cases which impact residential landlords in Ontario. This article provides general information only. It is not legal advice. Contact Gobin & Leyenson LLP for advice specific to your situation.

[1] S.O. 2025, c. 15 – Bill 60

[2] RTA, s. 59(1)

[3] RTA, s. 74(2)

[4] RTA, s. 74(4)

[5] RTA, s. 74(4)

[6] RTA, s. 74(11)

[7] RTA, s. 59(1), as of September 21, 2026

[8] RTA, s. 83(1)

[9] S.O. 2020, c. 16-Bill 184

[10] RTA, s. 83(6)