Convicted: 2155912 Ontario Inc.

Location: Toronto

Description of Offences: Two counts of unlawful entry, three counts of altering the locking system on a door giving entry to a rental unit or residential complex, two counts of interfering with a vital service, one count of interfering with a tenant’s reasonable enjoyment of the rental unit and one count of unlawfully recovering possession of a rental unit.

Date of Offences: June 22 – August 24, 2022

Date of Conviction: March 22, 2024

Penalty Imposed:

• Following a guilty plea, 2155912 Ontario Inc. was fined $35,000 in Toronto by His Worship Justice of the Peace Roger Rodrigues.
• The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge ($8750) in accordance with the Provincial Offences Act.

Background:

• 2155912 Ontario Inc. is an Ontario business corporation and landlord of a rental property in Toronto. A unit at the property was rented to a tenant beginning in May 2018.
• On June 22, 2022, the landlord unlawfully entered the rental unit while the tenant was sleeping and without providing the tenant with notice.
• On August 13, 2022, the landlord again entered the rental unit without providing the tenant with notice and was accompanied by a contractor. The tenant discovered the landlord and the contractor disposing of his belongings.
• On three separate occasions between August 13 and August 24, 2022, the landlord altered the locking system on doors giving entry to the rental unit and rental property without giving the tenant replacement keys.
• On August 18, 2022, the landlord knowingly withheld the tenant’s reasonable supply of water, which it was obligated to provide.
• On August 22, 2022, the landlord knowingly withheld the reasonable supply of the tenant’s electricity, which it was obligated to provide.
• On August 24, 2022, the landlord unlawfully recovered possession of the rental unit from the tenant and the tenant never regained possession of the rental unit.
• Under the Residential Tenancies Act, landlords are prohibited from recovering possession of a rental unit unless the tenant has vacated or abandoned the unit or the Landlord and Tenant Board has issued an order evicting the tenant.