OntarioDid Not Pass43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 163 explained in plain English

Relief for Renters Act, 2024

Housing Justice & the Law

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

How This Type of Bill Becomes Law Official source

At a glance

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Legislature / Parliament

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Session

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill number

Bill 163

Full title

Relief for Renters Act, 2024

Current status

Did Not Pass

Latest event

Lost on division

Last updated

Mar 21, 2024

Sponsor

Andrea Hazell

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Current Stage

Lost on division

Latest Activity

Mar 21, 2024

Sponsor

Andrea Hazell

Plain-language explanation

In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing

Short Version

Bill 163 freezes residential rents in Ontario for calendar year 2025 and prohibits landlords from terminating most tenancies during that period, with limited exceptions.

What It Means

Bill 163, called the Relief for Renters Act, 2024, amends Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 to introduce two main protections for renters in 2025. First, it creates a rent freeze for the entire calendar year 2025 (January 1 to December 31, 2025). This means landlords cannot increase rent during this period, subject to certain exceptions that are already defined in the existing Residential Tenancies Act. Second, it prohibits landlords from terminating (evicting) tenants during 2025 under sections 48 and 49 of the Residential Tenancies Act. However, there is one exception: landlords can still terminate a tenancy if they or someone providing care services need to occupy the unit themselves. The bill also updates references in the Act from previous rent freeze legislation (the "Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act, 2020") to this new legislation. It allows the provincial Cabinet (the Lieutenant Governor in Council) to create regulations to handle any transition issues that arise from these changes, including how the rules apply to court or tribunal cases that started before the law takes effect. The bill comes into force immediately upon receiving Royal Assent.

What This Bill Does

Freezes residential rent in Ontario for calendar year 2025 (January 1 to December 31, 2025)
Prohibits landlords from terminating tenancies under section 48 or 49 of the Residential Tenancies Act during 2025, with a limited exception for terminations where the landlord or a care provider needs to occupy the unit
Updates references in the Residential Tenancies Act from the 'Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act, 2020' to the 'Relief for Renters Act, 2024'
Authorizes the provincial Cabinet to make regulations addressing transitional matters arising from these amendments
Comes into force on the date it receives Royal Assent

Who Is Affected

Residential tenants in Ontario who rent their homes during 2025
Landlords who own residential rental properties in Ontario
Rental housing providers subject to the Residential Tenancies Act

Rights, Duties, Or Obligations

Landlords are prohibited from increasing rent for any tenant during 2025 (subject to exceptions already defined in the Residential Tenancies Act)
Landlords cannot terminate tenancies under sections 48 or 49 during 2025, except when the landlord or a care service provider requires the unit for personal occupancy
Tenants have the right to remain in their rental units without facing termination during 2025 (except in the stated exception)
Tenants cannot be subjected to rent increases during 2025

Important Dates

Rent freeze and eviction restriction period: January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025
Bill comes into force: on the day it receives Royal Assent (date not specified in bill text)

Financial Or Tax Impacts

Landlords will not be able to collect rent increases during 2025, which may affect their rental income
The bill text does not specify tax implications or financial impacts beyond the rent freeze itself

Enforcement Or Penalties

The bill text does not specify enforcement mechanisms or penalties for violations of the rent freeze or eviction restrictions

Uncertainties Or Limits

The bill text does not specify what exceptions to the rent freeze apply; it refers to 'specified exceptions' in the Explanatory Note but does not detail them
The bill does not explain what 'care services' means in the eviction exception; this is defined elsewhere in sections 48(1)(d), 49(1)(d), or 49(2)(d) of the Residential Tenancies Act
The bill does not specify when Royal Assent will occur, so the exact commencement date is unknown
The bill does not detail what transitional regulations the Cabinet may make or how they will be implemented
The bill does not address how ongoing disputes, applications, or enforcement will occur during 2025

Laws Or Regulations Affected

Residential Tenancies Act, 2006

amended

New provisions added to freeze rents and restrict evictions for 2025; references updated from previous rent freeze legislation

Source: Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Bill 163

Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act, 2020

replaced by reference

Legislative references to this act in the Residential Tenancies Act are replaced with references to the Relief for Renters Act, 2024

Source: Sections 2(1), 2(2), 3(2), and 3(3) of Bill 163

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.

Official text

Process Snapshot

Step 1

First reading

Feb 20, 2024

Step 2

Second reading

Mar 21, 2024

Step 3

Committee review

Not reached yet

Step 4

Third reading

Not reached yet

Step 5

Royal assent

Not reached yet

Vote Summary

Yes

Abstain

Absent / Other

Final recorded vote

Mar 21, 2024

96 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.

Sponsor

Andrea Hazell

Ontario Liberal Party | Scarborough—Guildwood

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Representative Voting Breakdown

Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.

Representative	Role	Riding	Party	Vote	Notes
Andrea HazellSponsor MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Guildwood	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aislinn Clancy MPP	MPP	Kitchener Centre	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Bhutila Karpoche MPP	MPP	Parkdale—High Park	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine Fife MPP	MPP	Waterloo	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chandra Pasma MPP	MPP	Ottawa West—Nepean	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chris Glover MPP	MPP	Spadina—Fort York	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
France Gélinas MPP	MPP	Nickel Belt	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jamie West MPP	MPP	Sudbury	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens MPP	MPP	St. Catharines	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer K. French MPP	MPP	Oshawa	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jessica Bell MPP	MPP	University—Rosedale	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jill Andrew MPP	MPP	Toronto—St. Paul's	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Joel Harden MPP	MPP	Ottawa Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Fraser MPP	MPP	Ottawa South	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Vanthof MPP	MPP	Timiskaming—Cochrane	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Karen McCrimmon MPP	MPP	Kanata—Carleton	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lise Vaugeois MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Superior North	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Marit Stiles MPP	MPP	Davenport	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP	MPP	Beaches—East York	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mike Schreiner MPP	MPP	Guelph	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Monique Taylor MPP	MPP	Hamilton Mountain	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peggy Sattler MPP	MPP	London West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peter Tabuns MPP	MPP	Toronto—Danforth	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sandy Shaw MPP	MPP	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sarah Jama MPP	MPP	Hamilton Centre	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sol Mamakwa MPP	MPP	Kiiwetinoong	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Ted Hsu MPP	MPP	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Terence Kernaghan MPP	MPP	London North Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tom Rakocevic MPP	MPP	Humber River—Black Creek	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Wayne Gates MPP	MPP	Niagara Falls	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Amarjot Sandhu MPP	MPP	Brampton West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrew Dowie MPP	MPP	Windsor—Tecumseh	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Anthony Leardi MPP	MPP	Essex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Aris Babikian MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Agincourt	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Pang MPP	MPP	Markham—Unionville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Riddell MPP	MPP	Cambridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Saunderson MPP	MPP	Simcoe—Grey	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Christine Hogarth MPP	MPP	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Daisy Wai MPP	MPP	Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Dave Smith MPP	MPP	Peterborough—Kawartha	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
David Smith MPP	MPP	Scarborough Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Dawn Gallagher Murphy MPP	MPP	Newmarket—Aurora	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Deepak Anand MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Malton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Effie J. Triantafilopoulos MPP	MPP	Oakville North—Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Goldie Ghamari MPP	MPP	Carleton	Independent	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP	MPP	Brampton East	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Andrea Khanjin MPP	MPP	Barrie—Innisfil	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams MPP	MPP	Brampton Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. David Piccini MPP	MPP	Northumberland—Peterborough South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Donna Skelly MPP	MPP	Flamborough—Glanbrook	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Downey MPP	MPP	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Ford MPP	MPP	Etobicoke North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Ernie Hardeman MPP	MPP	Oxford	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. George Pirie MPP	MPP	Timmins	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graham McGregor MPP	MPP	Brampton North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graydon Smith MPP	MPP	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Jill Dunlop MPP	MPP	Simcoe North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kinga Surma MPP	MPP	Etobicoke Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Laurie Scott MPP	MPP	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson MPP	MPP	Huron—Bruce	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael A. Tibollo MPP	MPP	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael Parsa MPP	MPP	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael S. Kerzner MPP	MPP	York Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Mike Harris MPP	MPP	Kitchener—Conestoga	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Neil Lumsden MPP	MPP	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nolan Quinn MPP	MPP	Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Paul Calandra MPP	MPP	Markham—Stouffville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria MPP	MPP	Brampton South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho MPP	MPP	Scarborough North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Rob Flack MPP	MPP	Elgin—Middlesex—London	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sam Oosterhoff MPP	MPP	Niagara West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stan Cho MPP	MPP	Willowdale	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Crawford MPP	MPP	Oakville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Lecce MPP	MPP	King—Vaughan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Steve Clark MPP	MPP	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sylvia Jones MPP	MPP	Dufferin—Caledon	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Todd J. McCarthy MPP	MPP	Durham	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Victor Fedeli MPP	MPP	Nipissing	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Rouge Park	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jess Dixon MPP	MPP	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Jordan MPP	MPP	Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Yakabuski MPP	MPP	Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Laura Smith MPP	MPP	Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lisa MacLeod MPP	MPP	Nepean	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Logan Kanapathi MPP	MPP	Markham—Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lorne Coe MPP	MPP	Whitby	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Natalie Pierre MPP	MPP	Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Patrice Barnes MPP	MPP	Ajax	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Rick Byers MPP	MPP	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Robin Martin MPP	MPP	Eglinton—Lawrence	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Ross Romano MPP	MPP	Sault Ste. Marie	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Rudy Cuzzetto MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Sheref Sabawy MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Stéphane Sarrazin MPP	MPP	Glengarry—Prescott—Russell	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Todd Smith MPP	MPP	Bay of Quinte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Will Bouma MPP	MPP	Brantford—Brant	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.

Official sources

Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.

How this data is sourced