This measure is included in legislation tabled April 6 by Minister for Communities and Housing Steve Clark to address the housing shortage and make life easier for Ontario residents by making it more affordable.

With this bill, the province hopes to reduce the backlog of disputes between landlords and tenants, including eviction claims.

Ontario courts communications officer Janet Deline said that holding virtual hearings is a new method of conduct introduced during the pandemic.

She says the addition of arbitrators should make it easier for people in rural and remote areas of the province, including northern Ontario, to attend hearings.

By hosting hearings online and moving away from the regional in-person planning model, we are achieving greater planning flexibility and maximizing an arbiter’s coverage across the province.said Mrs. Deline.

” Travel time, lost work time and childcare costs are often cited as barriers to access justice. These difficulties are exacerbated in remote and rural areas where the distances to be traveled can be considerable. »

Virtual hearings have improved access to justice for many peoplesays Janet Deline.

Decision welcomed by Sudbury residents

Tristan Ritchie, who lives in Sudbury, welcomes the province’s decision to start closing the backlog of deportation cases CLI.

As well as being a real estate agent, he also owns eight properties in Sudbury.

He explains that he has repeatedly had to go to the Landlord and Tenant Board to evict tenants, usually for non-payment of rent.

After the landlord issues an eviction notice, it can take months or even years to find a solution.

Tenants are not required to vacate the premises until their case is heard in court.

According to Mr. Ritchie, this is a tedious waiting game that usually does not allow the owner to recover their lost winnings.

Every investor’s biggest fear is having to leave CLIemphasizes Mr. Ritchie. It’s not just about money, it’s also about deadlines. It’s the uncertainty and not knowing where it’s going to take us, and it’s probably not in our favor.he complains.

High number of eviction requests

According to Tribunal Watch Ontario, a group of people concerned about the integrity of Ontario’s justice system, the CLI receives approximately 80,000 requests for hearings across the province each year.

According to this group, most of the requests, more than 90%, are eviction requests from landlords.

Courts Ontario, a group of 13 adjudicatory courts that play an important role in the administration of justice in Ontario, said its 2022 annual report shows that the CLI had 32,800 active cases at the end of the year.

With information from CBC