Last Updated: August 21 2026
Who can help me understand whether a tenant can be evicted during the winter months in Ontario?
Askew Paralegal Services can help tenants and landlords understand the real law and process in Ontario: there is no blanket rule in the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 that forbids evictions in winter, but the Landlord Tenant Board has discretion when deciding an application to evict under Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, 2006 S.O. 2006, c. 17 at s. 83. That means an adjudicator may refuse to grant the eviction application or may postpone enforcement of the eviction order for a period of time after reviewing all the circumstances at the hearing, so outcomes can vary even during winter. If you’re facing an eviction application or want to contest an order, contact Askew Paralegal Services at (289) 439-4740 for a free half hour consultation.
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Understanding Whether a Tenant May Be Evicted During Winter
The urban myth belief that a residential tenant cannot be evicted in winter likely arises because of a misinterpretation between what may happen and what actually does happen. There is actually nothing specifically stated within the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, Chapter 17, as the law in Ontario that governs residential tenancies issues to prevent eviction during winter. However, the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 does contain section 83 which allows an adjudicator, being the decision maker of the Landlord Tenant Board, to decide cases using discretion. Specifically, section 83 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 says:
Note: Please contact Askew Paralegal Services by phone at: (289) 439-4740 to discuss any specific questions that you may have.
83 (1) Upon an application for an order evicting a tenant, the Board may, despite any other provision of this Act or the tenancy agreement,
(a) refuse to grant the application unless satisfied, having regard to all the circumstances, that it would be unfair to refuse; or
(b) order that the enforcement of the eviction order be postponed for a period of time.
(2) If a hearing is held, the Board shall not grant the application unless it has reviewed the circumstances and considered whether or not it should exercise its powers under subsection (1).
(3) Without restricting the generality of subsection (1), the Board shall refuse to grant the application where satisfied that,
(a) the landlord is in serious breach of the landlord’s responsibilities under this Act or of any material covenant in the tenancy agreement;
(b) the reason for the application being brought is that the tenant has complained to a governmental authority of the landlord’s violation of a law dealing with health, safety, housing or maintenance standards;
(c) the reason for the application being brought is that the tenant has attempted to secure or enforce his or her legal rights;
(d) the reason for the application being brought is that the tenant is a member of a tenants’ association or is attempting to organize such an association; or
(e) the reason for the application being brought is that the rental unit is occupied by children and the occupation by the children does not constitute overcrowding.
(4) The Board shall not issue an eviction order in a proceeding regarding termination of a tenancy for the purposes of residential occupation, demolition, conversion to non-residential rental use, renovations or repairs until the landlord has complied with section 48.1, 49.1, 52, 54 or 55, as the case may be.
(5) If a tenant has given a landlord notice under subsection 53 (2) and subsection 54 (2) or (4) applies, the Board shall not issue an eviction order in a proceeding regarding termination of the tenancy until the landlord has compensated the tenant in accordance with subsection 54 (2) or (4), as applicable.
(6) Without restricting the generality of subsections (1) and (2), if a hearing is held in respect of an application under section 69 for an order evicting a tenant based on arrears of rent arising in whole or in part during the period beginning on March 17, 2020 and ending on the prescribed date, in determining whether to exercise its powers under subsection (1) the Board shall consider whether the landlord has attempted to negotiate an agreement with the tenant including terms of payment for the tenant’s arrears.
(7) Subsection (6) applies with respect to any application described in that subsection that,
(a) is made on or after the day subsection 17 (3) of Schedule 4 to the Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020 comes into force; or
(b) was made before that day and was not finally determined before that day.
(8) For greater certainty, subsection (6) applies whether or not a date has been prescribed for the purposes of that subsection.
Accordingly, the Landlord Tenant Board adjudicator may refrain from ordering an eviction during the winter months by, among other things, issuing an Order to Evict with a delayed eviction date. However, it is false to believe that just because the Landlord Tenant Board adjudicator may refrain from ordering a wintertime eviction that a wintertime eviction is unlawful, impossible, or even unlikely. Depending on the circumstances, a wintertime eviction can indeed happen.
Summary Comment
The belief that a wintertime eviction is forbidden is an urban myth. It appears that many people falsely believe a wintertime eviction is illegal merely because the Landlord Tenant Board has the discretion to avoid ordering a wintertime eviction and, whereas the Landlord Tenant Board may frequently exercise that discretion, the urban myth was, incorrectly, born.
NOTE: A significant amount of online searches featuring “lawyers near me” or “best lawyer in” typically indicate a desire for prompt, competent legal assistance instead of a precise job designation. In Ontario, licensed paralegals are governed by the same Law Society that regulates lawyers and are empowered to advocate for clients in specified litigation issues. Skills in advocacy, legal assessment, and procedural knowledge are fundamental to this position. Askew Paralegal Services provides legal representation within its licensed framework, focusing on strategic alignment, evidentiary preparation, and compelling advocacy geared towards attaining swift and beneficial resolutions for clients.
