Landlord and Tenant Board Thunder Bay: How to File and Attend

If you are a landlord or tenant in Thunder Bay, your rental dispute is handled by the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), part of Tribunals Ontario. It resolves disputes and ends tenancies under the Residential Tenancies Act.

This article walks through how to file, how your hearing will most likely be held, and what to do if you cannot attend on the scheduled day. The general rules apply across the province, so check your own Notice of Hearing for the details of your file.

Choosing the right application

Everything starts with picking the correct form. The LTB groups them by purpose.

• L1 is for a landlord evicting for non-payment and collecting rent, and an N4 notice is needed first.
• L2 is for a landlord ending a tenancy and evicting.
• L3 is used when a tenant gave notice or agreed to end the tenancy.
• L4 is used when a tenant breached a settlement or order.
• T1 asks for a rebate of money a landlord owes a tenant, T2 deals with tenant rights and interference, T5 deals with a bad faith notice, and T6 deals with maintenance.

A tenant cannot file an LTB application against a co-tenant or roommate. A complaint that a landlord discriminated in refusing to rent goes to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario rather than the LTB, except for deposit or handover issues under section 107 of the Act.

Filing from Thunder Bay

Documents cannot be mailed or faxed to ServiceOntario locations for LTB filing, and ServiceOntario staff cannot give legal or procedural information. When you pay online for an email-filed application, pay first, then email the application and receipt to ltbpayments@ontario.ca within 24 hours with the 7-digit receipt number in the subject line, or the LTB will refund the payment.

Fees depend on the form. Landlord applications such as L1, L2, L3, L9 and L10 are $201, or $186 on the Portal. Tenant applications T1, T2, T5 and T6 are $53, or $48 on the Portal. Fees are non-refundable. Individuals can request a fee waiver by completing all three parts of the Fee Waiver Request form, including the Declaration.

How your hearing will be held

The LTB schedules virtual, written or in-person hearings. Virtual hearings are by Zoom video or by telephone, and in-person hearings are scheduled only on approved accommodation requests tied to Human Rights Code needs. The Notice of Hearing states whether the hearing is by video or phone, plus the date and time.

For video, use the Zoom link in the Notice of Video Hearing. For phone, call the number in the notice, press *6 to mute or unmute and *9 to raise your hand. If you have trouble on the day, Zoom help is available at LTBHearingSupport@ontario.ca, 416-212-9064 or 866-769-7865.

Share your evidence in time. Parties must give other parties a copy at least 7 business days before the hearing, or 5 days for responding evidence, and evidence should be submitted through the portal.

What if you cannot attend?

Do not simply stay away. If you do not attend and no one attends in your place, the adjudicator can dismiss the application or decide it without you. If you do not sign in when your case is called, the hearing may go ahead without you.

If you need a different date, use the LTB form called Request to Reschedule a Hearing. Under the LTB guideline, a hearing will be rescheduled if you obtain the other parties' agreement. Without consent, the request may be granted only if it was not reasonably possible to get consent, and otherwise the hearing proceeds on the scheduled date. So contact the other side early and get their agreement in writing.

If you need accommodation, for example for a disability, submit the Accommodation Request form (TO001E) to LTB@ontario.ca, or by mail or courier to 15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor, Toronto, with your name and file number, as soon as possible.

If an order was made when you could not take part, a Request to Review an Order costs $58 and can be based on not being reasonably able to participate, a serious error in the order, or new evidence that could not have been obtained earlier. Time limits for this step matter, so confirm the deadline with the LTB or a lawyer right away. Appeals to the Divisional Court are limited to questions of law and must generally be brought within 30 days after the order was made.

Next steps and who to contact

The LTB can be reached toll free at 1-888-332-3234, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. File-specific questions go to LTB@ontario.ca with your file number, and the LTB does not answer general inquiries by email. Check file status and the next hearing date through the Tribunals Ontario Portal, waiting at least two months after filing before checking.

• Read your Notice of Hearing the day you receive it and note the type, date and time.
• Put the hearing in your calendar and test Zoom or your phone line ahead of time.
• Organize evidence and send copies to the other parties on time.
• If you have a conflict, ask the other party for consent and submit the rescheduling request promptly.
• If an eviction is possible, talk to a lawyer or legal clinic before the hearing.

Frequently asked questions