Policy, Legislation & Advocacy
N13 Renovation Evictions in Ontario: The Toronto Licensing Rules Landlords Need
Evicting a Toronto tenant for renovations requires more than an N13: an N13 filing (a filing fee applies — check the current LTB fee schedule), a City of Toronto renovation license, tenant compensation, and a professional report proving vacant possession is genuinely required — plus a right of return once work is done.
Toronto now layers a City renovation license on top of the provincial N13 process: landlords evicting for renovation must file the N13 (a filing fee applies — check the current LTB fee schedule), obtain the license, pay tenant compensation scaled to building size, and hold a professional report confirming vacant possession is genuinely required — with the tenant retaining a right to move back in once work is done.
What is an N13 notice, and when can a landlord use it?
An N13 is the Ontario notice a landlord serves under the Residential Tenancies Act to end a tenancy because the unit needs to be vacant for repairs, renovations, or demolition that can’t reasonably be done with the tenant living there.
It is not a general-purpose eviction tool and it is not meant for work a tenant could stay through. The scope has to be extensive enough — structural repairs, major system replacement, gut renovation, demolition — that vacant possession is actually necessary, not just convenient. Ontario landlord advocates and paralegals have flagged that some renovation marketing has blurred this line, implying an N13 covers routine cosmetic refreshes. It doesn’t, and using it that way exposes a landlord to a bad-faith challenge at the Landlord and Tenant Board.
What’s new about the N13 process in Toronto specifically?
Toronto has added a municipal renovation-license requirement on top of the existing provincial N13 notice — a landlord now needs both, not just one.
| Requirement | Governed by | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| N13 notice + filing fee | Province (RTA / LTB) | Formal notice ending the tenancy for renovation/demolition (filing fee per the current LTB fee schedule) |
| Renovation license | City of Toronto | Municipal approval confirming the renovation scope and process |
| Tenant compensation | Province, scaled municipally | Payment tied to the number of units in the building |
| Professional report | Province (supporting the N13) | Confirms a qualified professional agrees vacant possession is required |
| Right of first refusal | Province (RTA) | Tenant’s right to move back in after the work is complete |
The practical effect is more process and more waiting before a landlord can act — a landlord who has already served the N13 and is waiting on an LTB hearing may find the renovation permit or license timeline moving on its own separate clock, and the two don’t necessarily line up.
What has to be in place before serving an N13 in Toronto?
Four things need to be lined up: the N13 notice itself, the City of Toronto renovation license, tenant compensation, and a professional report.
- File the N13 with the Landlord and Tenant Board, paying the applicable filing fee (check the current LTB fee schedule).
- Apply for the City of Toronto renovation license before proceeding with work that requires vacant possession — this is separate from any building permit the renovation itself might need.
- Calculate and provide tenant compensation, which scales with the number of units in the building rather than being a flat amount.
- Obtain a professional report — from a qualified professional (e.g. a licensed engineer or architect) — confirming the scope of work genuinely requires the unit to be empty.
Skipping or rushing any one of these gives a tenant (or their legal representative) a straightforward basis to challenge the notice.
What compensation does a landlord owe under Toronto’s N13 rules?
Compensation for an N13 eviction is tied to how many rental units are in the building, layered on top of the provincial filing fee (check the current LTB fee schedule) and any City licensing costs.
Because the amount scales with building size rather than being fixed, landlords with larger multi-unit buildings should expect a materially higher compensation obligation than a landlord evicting a tenant out of a single-unit rental. Landlords should confirm the current schedule directly with the City of Toronto and the LTB before serving notice — municipal add-ons like this one can be updated independently of the provincial RTA framework, and using an outdated number risks underpaying a tenant who’s legally owed more.
Does a tenant get to move back in after an N13 renovation?
Yes — an N13 is a temporary displacement, not a permanent eviction, and the tenant has a right of first refusal to return once the renovation or repair is finished.
That return right is central to why the N13 process exists as a distinct notice type separate from an ordinary eviction: it’s built around the premise that the tenant’s tenancy continues, just with a gap while the unit can’t be safely occupied. A landlord who has no intention of allowing the tenant back — or who re-rents the unit to a new tenant at a higher rate instead — is exposed to a bad-faith finding, which carries a real financial penalty (see below).
What happens if an N13 is used in bad faith?
An N13 eviction found to be in bad faith — used as a pretext to remove a tenant and re-rent at a higher price, rather than for a genuine renovation — carries an escalating fine under the Residential Tenancies Act, alongside possible compensation orders to the tenant.
Bad-faith evictions carry significant fines under the RTA — see the current RTA penalty provisions for the fine ranges that apply to individual landlords versus corporations. That penalty applies across bad-faith eviction notices generally (including the more commonly used N12, for landlord’s own use), and it’s the backstop the LTB relies on to deter landlords from misusing renovation or personal-use notices to churn tenants out at market rent.
How does an N13 renovation eviction fit with Bill 10?
Bill 10 and Toronto’s N13 licensing rules landed close together, and both push the same direction: more documentation obligations on landlords, with real financial exposure for getting it wrong.
Bill 10 expands accountability for illegal activity on a rental property, but that provision currently applies to commercial landlords, not residential landlords using an N13 — check the current text of Bill 10 to confirm scope before assuming it applies to a residential rental. The N13 licensing rules, separately, tighten what counts as a legitimate renovation eviction. A landlord dealing with a difficult tenant situation should treat the two as separate compliance tracks — a renovation dispute doesn’t excuse gaps in documented diligence elsewhere, and vice versa. Keeping a dated paper trail (inspection records, the professional report, license approval, compensation payment) is the common thread that protects a landlord under both.
Where to get help with an N13 or renovation license application
Because the N13 process now involves both a provincial notice and a City of Toronto license, with statutory compensation and a professional-report requirement layered in, landlords should work with a licensed paralegal or property manager experienced in Toronto’s current process rather than filing based on older guidance.
The rules have changed materially in recent years, and a notice or license application built on outdated guidance is likely to be incomplete.
This guide is written for general information; always confirm current fees, forms, and municipal requirements directly with the Landlord and Tenant Board and the City of Toronto before acting.