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The Ontario government has announced that it is investing more than $19 million over the next three years in an effort to help reduce the longstanding backlogs and accelerate decisions at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) and Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). The funding will help appoint more impartial adjudicators at both bodies, and support additional technology at the land tribunal as a means to resolve cases more quickly.
“We are making even more investments in the Ontario Land Tribunal and the Landlord and Tenant Board to help clear longstanding backlogs and drive faster decisions so we can get more shovels in the ground," said Attorney General Doug Downey. The investment addresses a key recommendation found in the Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force that suggests to increase resources at the Ontario Land Tribunal so homes can be built faster.
“This investment will allow the Tribunal to schedule hearing events and issue decisions quicker and more efficiently than before," said Greg Bishop, Alternate Chair for the Ontario Land Tribunal. (Hirings that started in 2019 of new adjudicators have already helped to reduce a longstanding backlog cases of the Ontario Municipal Board/Local Planning Appeal Tribunal – now the OLT – by more than 60%.)
According to the announcement released by the Province, investments at the OLT will support faster case resolution by increasing the number of full-time adjudicators and case processing staff, by creating flexibility to address caseload trends by appointing more part-time adjudicators, by more than doubling the capacity for the use of expert land use planning mediators to help settle disputes earlier and narrow issues for faster adjudication, and finally, by improving IT platforms to improve access to services online.
Investments at the Landlord and Tenant Board will raise staffing, allowing the Board to more quickly resolve existing backlogs.
“As the ultimate impartial adjudicator, investing in the Ontario Land Tribunal as well as the Landlord and Tenant Board will help break the cycle of delays and appeals – getting homes built faster and helping tenants and landlords resolve disputes," said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
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