Can a Tenant Be Evicted in Winter in Ontario? Steps, Delays and Heat

Yes, a tenant can be evicted in the winter in Ontario. The Landlord and Tenant Board's published process has no winter pause. A landlord needs a valid notice, an LTB order and, if the tenant stays, enforcement by the Sheriff's office. Cold weather does not change those steps, and heat remains a vital service a landlord must keep supplying from September 1 to June 15.

Can you be evicted in the winter in Ontario? There is no ban

No. The LTB pages that explain applications, hearings and eviction orders do not set a winter pause. Its guideline on refusing or delaying evictions lists what the Board weighs, such as the circumstances of the tenant and the landlord, and it does not mention weather or the time of year.

So the rules that apply in July apply in January. A landlord still needs a valid notice, an LTB order and the Sheriff's office to carry out an eviction. A tenant can still ask for more time. Nothing on those pages lets a landlord skip a step because it is cold outside.

One caution about older articles. Notice periods, several forms and some Residential Tenancies Act rules changed on September 21, 2026, so check anything written before then against the LTB's current pages. This guide explains the rules and is not legal advice. For your own situation, contact the LTB or a lawyer or licensed paralegal.

How does eviction work in Ontario in any season?

The path is the same in every month.

1. Notice. The landlord gives the tenant the notice that matches the reason, such as an N4 for unpaid rent or an N12 for the landlord's own use. The LTB says some notices let the tenant void them by complying by the termination date in the notice.
2. Application. If the tenant does not comply or leave, the landlord applies to the LTB, for example with an L1 after an N4, and shows how and when the notice was given.
3. Hearing. Most hearings are held by video on Zoom or by telephone.
4. Order. The adjudicator issues a written order. The LTB calls it final, apart from the review and appeal routes described below.
5. Enforcement. If the tenant does not move out by the date in the eviction order, the order can be filed with the Court Enforcement Office, also called the Sheriff's office.

Two recent changes matter here. The LTB says the N4 period dropped from 14 days to 7 days for notices served on or after September 21, 2026. It also updated the N4, N5, N6, N8, N12, N13, L1, L2, L9, L10 and T5 that day and says older versions of those forms stop being accepted on November 30, 2026. Use the current form every time.

There is no step where the landlord enforces the order personally. Changing locks or removing a tenant's belongings is not part of the process. Our guide to what counts as an illegal eviction explains the line.

How long does it take to evict a tenant in Ontario?

Nobody can promise a timeline, because several stages sit outside the landlord's control. These are the LTB's published figures today:

• Landlord applications for non-payment (L1) and for money owed (L9) are being scheduled, on average, about three months from the date the LTB receives them.
• Most orders are issued within the LTB's service timeline of 30 days or less after a hearing.
• LTB orders commonly set the eviction date 11 days after the date of the order.

Then add the notice period you serve before you file, and the wait for the Sheriff's office after you file the order. The LTB pages do not put a number on that last wait, so ask the office about scheduling. Put the pieces together and plan in months, not weeks.

These are averages, not promises. The LTB lists its own averages for other kinds of applications, so check its service timelines for the one you need. A review request or an appeal can add time. For a fuller look at rent arrears, see our guide to filing for rent arrears at the LTB.

Can a tenant ask to delay an eviction in winter?

Yes. A tenant can ask the LTB to refuse or delay an eviction under section 83 of the Residential Tenancies Act. The Board's guideline says it looks at all the circumstances, including the tenant's and the landlord's situations, the effect on other occupants, the tenant's conduct and the landlord's actions.

The test for a delay is tighter since September 21, 2026. If the landlord does not agree to a delay, the LTB must be satisfied that a delay would not be unfair to the landlord or other tenants, and that there are compelling reasons. For N12 and N13 evictions, the LTB's update says only the fairness question applies. A delay remains possible when the landlord agrees.

The guideline does not list cold weather as a factor. A tenant who raises winter is asking the Board to weigh it with everything else, and the outcome depends on the case.

Other things can put an order on hold. The LTB says a motion to set aside an order made without the tenant present, filed by the deadline, automatically stays it. A request to review must be made within 15 days and can lead to an interim stay. An appeal to the Divisional Court also stays the order unless the stay is removed. For non-payment, the tenant can usually void the order by paying everything owed by the deadline in the order.

Heat, hydro and water: what a landlord must keep running

Winter eviction questions often get tangled with heat. The LTB's guide says a landlord cannot shut off or interfere with the supply of vital services to a tenant's unit. Those are heat from September 1 to June 15, electricity, fuel such as natural gas or oil, and hot or cold water.

Shutting off a vital service to push a tenant out is not a lawful step. The lawful route is the notice, application and order described above.

Temperature is a separate question. The LTB's guide speaks to the supply of heat, and it does not give a number. Many cities set a minimum temperature in a property standards or heating bylaw, so check your municipality's rules for the figure and for how complaints are handled. Landlords must also keep the unit in a good state of repair, so a failed furnace in January needs a fast response. Our winterizing checklist for rentals covers the pre-season checks.

What owners can do before and during a winter dispute

Most owners want the tenancy back on track, not an order. These steps help in any season.

• Talk early about arrears. The LTB's portal offers an online dispute resolution tool, and the LTB says it can lead to payment plans, consent orders or mediated agreements.
• Keep records. Keep the rent ledger, copies of every notice and proof of how and when each was given.
• Use current forms. Download from the LTB's forms page each time rather than reusing a saved copy.
• Keep heat and hot water running. Call a trade quickly if equipment fails and write down what you did.
• Weigh the alternatives. Our guide to alternatives to eviction covers options that avoid a hearing.

D&D Property Management's rent collection administration keeps ledgers and reminders, tracks late payments and prepares an N4 when you decide to proceed. Whether to go to the LTB is your decision, and legal advice comes from a lawyer or licensed paralegal. The first consultation is free and the scope is agreed in writing.

Winter eviction questions landlords ask

Can a landlord kick you out in Ontario without going to the LTB?

A landlord cannot simply make a tenant leave. Forcing a tenant out needs a valid notice, an LTB order and enforcement by the Court Enforcement Office, also called the Sheriff's office. A tenant can end a tenancy by agreement or by giving their own notice, which is a different situation. Changing the locks is not part of the process.

What minimum heat must a landlord provide in Ontario?

The LTB's guide treats heat as a vital service from September 1 to June 15 and says a landlord cannot shut it off or interfere with its supply. It does not give a temperature. Many cities set one in a property standards or heating bylaw, so check your municipality's bylaw for the number and for how to report a problem.

Does an eviction order take effect right away?

Not necessarily. LTB orders commonly set the eviction date 11 days after the date of the order. If the tenant is still there after that date, the landlord files the order with the Court Enforcement Office, which carries out the eviction. The LTB pages give no wait time for that office, so ask it about scheduling.

Can a tenant stop an eviction order in Ontario?

A tenant can ask the LTB for relief, but the Board decides. A motion to set aside an order made without the tenant present, filed by the deadline, stays the order. A request to review is due within 15 days. An appeal to the Divisional Court also stays it. For non-payment, paying what is owed by the deadline in the order usually voids it.

Devon Moore, Operations Lead Co-Founder & Operations Lead — D&D Property Management

Devon Moore is the co-founder and Operations Lead at D&D Property Management, managing rental properties across Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and Waterloo Region.