Data shows the number of applications landlords have filed to evict tenants for personal use in 2023 so far has already surpassed the total number of applications in 2022.
In Ontario, landlords can use something called an N12 eviction notice to force tenants to move out of an apartment if the owner, a member of their immediate family, or a caregiver wants to move in. An N12 can also be issued for the same reasons by someone who’s just bought a property.
From January through September 2023, 1,767 N12 evictions have been applied for in Toronto, according to data from the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). That’s well above the total applications made in 2022: 1,312.
N12 applications have increased 77 per cent in 2023 so far based on a comparison of the first nine months of 2022 and 2023.
The one factor they always neglect to discuss in this housing crisis is that … well, we are in a housing crisis. That means there is a substantial number of these evictions that are actually valid (granted there are also a lot of shit, scumbag landlords). But we all know someone struggling right now for housing. If you’re a boomer with an extra property, you probably also have a kid, or a nephew/niece or other younger person/family who is struggling with housing, and they need a place to stay, and they want to move in to these properties. This will only get worse as housing becomes less affordable.
I’m not saying this is the only reason, but it certainly contributes to the spike we are seeing in overall applications.