If a tenant in Ontario forges your signature on housing or income subsidy forms, it is considered an illegal act. You can serve them an N6 Notice to End your Tenancy for Illegal Acts, and filing the subsequent L2 Application with the Landlord and Tenant Board currently costs $186 CAD via the online portal.
Trust is the foundation of any successful landlord-tenant relationship. 💔 However, occasionally, a property owner may discover that a tenant has submitted fraudulent documents to provincial agencies. Whether they are applying for Ontario Works (OW), the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), or municipal rent-geared-to-income housing, forging a landlord’s signature is a serious offence.
Property investors in Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton must take immediate action to protect themselves from liability. Under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), committing fraud on the premises or utilizing the tenancy to commit a crime constitutes an “illegal act.” In this guide, we will walk you through the precise steps to handle this situation legally and effectively in Ontario as of May 2026.
Step-by-Step Process in Ontario for Forgery Evictions
Reacting emotionally or attempting to lock the tenant out is strictly prohibited. 📋 You must follow the formal eviction procedures outlined by the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). Here is how you should handle the discovery of a forged signature.
Step 1: Gather and Preserve Evidence
The first step is securing proof of the forgery. Contact the caseworker or the agency (such as Toronto Employment & Social Services) that alerted you to the document. Politely request a physical or digital copy of the forged form for your records.
Compare the forged signature to your actual signature and document the differences. 📝 Ensure you communicate in writing with the government agency, explicitly stating that you did not authorize or sign the document in question, thereby protecting yourself from any allegations of subsidy fraud.
Step 2: File a Police Report for Fraud
Forgery is a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada. To strengthen your case at the LTB, you should file a non-emergency police report with your local precinct, such as the Ottawa Police Service or Peel Regional Police.
You will be given a police occurrence number. 🚨 While the police may not immediately arrest the tenant or lay criminal charges due to limited resources, having this official occurrence number proves to the LTB adjudicator that you treated the illegal act with the utmost seriousness.
Step 3: Serve the N6 Notice
Once you have evidence, you must issue an N6 form (Notice to End your Tenancy for Illegal Acts). On the N6, you will select the option stating the tenant has committed an illegal act in the rental unit or residential complex.
For non-drug-related illegal acts, the termination date must be at least 20 days after you give the notice. ⏱ Be incredibly specific in the “Details” section of the form. State exactly what form was forged, the date it was discovered, and reference your police report number.
Step 4: File an L2 Application with the LTB
Unlike an N5 notice, an N6 for an illegal act does not give the tenant a “void period” to correct the behaviour. You can immediately file an L2 Application to End a Tenancy and Collect Money with the LTB the very next day after serving the N6.
Filing promptly via the LTB’s Tribunals Ontario Portal is crucial due to ongoing hearing backlogs. 💻 Upload your N6, the Certificate of Service, the forged document, and the police report directly to the portal as evidence.
Step 5: Attend the LTB Hearing
Eventually, you will be scheduled for a virtual hearing before an adjudicator. You must prove on a “balance of probabilities” that the tenant forged the document and that this illegal act seriously impacted your rights or put you at legal risk.
If successful, the adjudicator will issue an Eviction Order. 📄 If the tenant still refuses to leave, you must take this order to the Court Enforcement Office (the Sheriff) in your Ontario municipality to have them physically removed.
How Much Does it Cost in Ontario?
Evicting a tenant for an illegal act involves administrative and legal fees. 💵 Here is a breakdown of what landlords typically pay:
- LTB Filing Fee: Filing an L2 application costs $186 CAD if done online, or $201 CAD if submitted on paper.
- Paralegal Fees: Hiring a licensed Ontario paralegal to draft the N6 and represent you at the LTB generally costs between $1,500 and $3,500 CAD.
- Sheriff Fees: If the tenant refuses to move out after the LTB order, hiring the local Sheriff to enforce the eviction costs approximately $315 CAD, plus potential mileage fees depending on your city.
| Action | Cost Estimate (CAD) | Reimbursable by Tenant? |
|---|---|---|
| Filing the L2 Application | $186 online | Yes, usually ordered by the LTB. |
| Hiring Legal Representation | $1,500 – $3,500 | No, legal fees are rarely awarded. |
| Sheriff Enforcement | $315+ | No, must be pursued in Small Claims. |
How Long Does the Process Take?
The timeline for an LTB eviction can be incredibly frustrating. ⏱ Serving the N6 requires a minimum 20-day notice period before the termination date.
Once you file the L2 application, waiting for a hearing date typically takes 4 to 8 months, depending on the region’s current backlog. If the adjudicator rules in your favour, they usually give the tenant an additional 11 to 30 days to vacate before the Sheriff can step in. Expect a total timeline of 6 to 10 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I immediately change the locks if I prove they committed fraud?
No. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, self-help evictions are strictly prohibited. Even if the tenant committed a severe crime, you must wait for a formal Eviction Order from the LTB and use the Sheriff. Changing the locks illegally can result in fines against you up to $50,000 CAD.
Will the LTB definitely evict them for a forged signature?
Not always. The LTB operates under Section 83 of the RTA, which requires them to consider relief from eviction. If the tenant is a single mother on OW who forged the signature in a moment of desperation but has paid rent flawlessly for five years, the adjudicator might issue a warning rather than an eviction.
Should I confront the tenant before serving the N6?
It is generally safer to communicate entirely in writing. Confronting a tenant who has already demonstrated dishonest behaviour can lead to aggressive arguments or false accusations of harassment. Let the formal N6 Notice do the talking.
What if the government agency cuts off the tenant’s rent money?
If the forgery is caught and OW or ODSP suspends the tenant’s housing allowance, the tenant is still legally responsible for the full rent. If they fail to pay, you can serve an N4 Notice (Non-payment of Rent) alongside your N6, attacking the tenancy from two legal angles.
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