Toronto City Council recently approved enhancements to the RentSafeTO program, aiming to boost safety and provide transparent building condition updates online. The initiative, launched in 2017, ensures compliance with maintenance standards for over 3,600 apartment buildings. The updated rules include more inspections, increased fees, and added transparency to public data.
Evaluation criteria now focus more on health and safety, with buildings to be assessed every two years instead of three. Targeted enforcement will occur if landlords neglect complaints or required maintenance for two consecutive months, involving on-site engagement by city staff and potential penalties up to $2,900. The city has introduced a RentSafe interactive map, enabling users to access information on city orders or violations issued for a building since January 1, providing tenants and potential renters information on problematic landlords. Concerns about the impact on renters have been raised by industry groups, while tenant advocates commend the changes but call for stricter penalties for rule-breakers.
