Ontario cracks down on fire code violations

Ontario is sending a strong message to housing providers about fire safety.

A Toronto landlord was recently sentenced to 15 days in custody and fined $120,000 for breaching the province’s Fire Protection and Prevention Act, plus a 25% surcharge per victim.

Toronto realtor Will Doyle says penalties this harsh are rare but intentional: “I think that they’re trying to send a message with this case... which is good because it is a serious issue about landlords not maintaining properties where people are living.”

‍Fire safety obligations differ depending on the property type. Large multi-unit buildings, like the one involved in this case, carry stricter requirements, while condo providers are usually responsible only for in-unit alarms. Detached homes with tenants, including basement units, must meet other specific safety standards.

Landlords, and by extension property managers, are generally given a chance to fix issues fire safety issues once identified. If they fail to act, tenants can escalate concerns to the Landlord and Tenant Board or local fire services directly.