New laws and rules coming to Ontario next month

Several new laws and regulations in Ontario will be going into effect next month, which will affect everyday tenants, delivery couriers, and individuals with disabilities who require financial support. 

From landmark bylaws to new protections for ride-share workers, here are all the significant changes you should be aware of. 

Here are all the new laws and rules that are coming into effect in Ontario in July 2025. 

New "renoviction" bylaw 

Back in November, Toronto City Council adopted a Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw to prevent bad-faith evictions and protect the city's tenants from "renovictions." 

This term applies to situations in which a landlord refuses to allow a tenant who has exercised their right of first refusal to return post-renovation, illegally raises the rent on a returning tenant, or does not undertake major renovations after evicting renters.

"This results in the displacement of tenants, the permanent loss of affordable market rental housing, and contributes to rising homelessness in Toronto," a city report reads. 

The bylaw, which is set to come into effect on July 31, 2025, requires landlords to obtain a licence before starting repairs or renovations that require tenants to move out of their rental units under the provincial N13 process.

To receive a licence, landlords must follow the bylaw requirements, which require notifying tenants, providing them with compensation or accommodation plans, and offering them to return after the renovations have taken place.  

Before submitting a licence application, landlords must obtain all necessary building permits and approvals and have a qualified person confirm that vacant possession is required for the renovations to take place. A qualified person must be licensed by the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) or Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO).

In cases where a tenant chooses to return, the landlord must agree to provide either temporary, comparable housing a similar rents, or agree to pay monthly rent-gap payments if the tenant finds their own temporary housing.

In cases where a tenant chooses not to return, the landlord must provide severance compensation equal to three months of rent-gap payments, and this payment must be made before the licence is issued. 

Toronto building inspectors are set to monitor compliance with the bylaw throughout the renovation process, and if non-compliance is found, landlords might be subject to penalties. Fines may include up to $1,000 for failure to submit a licence application within seven days of issuing an N13 notice, up to $10,000 per day for continuing offences, and up to $100,000 for evicting tenants without completing renovations or failing to follow the approved plan. 

New protections for digital platform workers

Ontario's Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, which introduces a range of new protections for workers in digital platform-based services like Uber and DoorDash. 

The new protections apply to workers and operators of digital platforms, regardless of their employment status under the Employment Standards Act (ESA). Under the regulations, operators must pay at least the ESA-prescribed minimum wage for each work assignment, provide details about how worker pay is calculated, and establish recurring pay. 

Operators will also be prohibited from withholding tips, and workers cannot be removed from digital platform access without written notice, except in cases that involve public safety or legal restrictions. 

First payment for new Canada Disability Benefit

The new Canada Disability Benefit aims to help financially support people aged 18 to 64 with disabilities, and annual payments are set to begin in July 2025. 

The first month of eligibility for the benefit is June, and applications are set to open on June 20, 2025. First payments will begin the following month for applications received and approved by June 30. 

The amount individuals receive will depend on their income and the income of their spouse or common-law partner. The maximum amount for the benefit for the July 2025 to June 2026 payment period is $2,400 a year, or $200 per month.