Hamilton Tenant Support Program
Hamilton’s NEW Tenant Support Program (TSP) aims to assist the most vulnerable tenants in the city to stay housed, prevent possible eviction, support their case at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB), and reduce opportunities for the occurrence of homelessness in Hamilton.
The program is made up of four pillars, which include:
1. Tenant Defence Program
This new comprehensive program will fund the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic to support approximately 200 tenant cases through the LTB tribunal process each year. It will cover evictions for renovation, demolition or conversion (N13), evictions for personal use (N12), Above Guideline Rent Increases (AGIs), tenant applications for bad faith evictions (T5), and tenant applications for maintenance on their units (T6). The program will ensure that tenants are provided the opportunity to adequately exercise their rights, significantly increasing their chances of maintaining their housing.
2. Tenant organizing and capacity building
The community organization and capacity building item focuses on creating supports for tenants to exercise their rights. It includes the direct funding of ACORN to do proactive community outreach and engagement with a focus on buildings at risk for renovictions, demovictions, and AGIs.
3. Tenant education
Educational materials and campaigns to support community capacity building. Educational outreach will include information about the various tenant supports available in Hamilton, tenants’ rights if they receive any LTB notices, and the general responsibilities of landlords and tenants.
4. Community Research Table
The final element is a community research table that will include tenants’ voices on the current system of tenant supports. It will gather community input on how best to help serve and support tenants in every type of housing and identify gaps in the system and how they could be addressed in future years.
Service providers
The Tenant Support Program is funded by the City of Hamilton and administered in partnership with the following service providers:
ACORN Hamilton
- In charge of tenant education, capacity building, and organizing.
- Direct outreach through door knocking and attending community meetings & events.
- Direct tenant support (intake to TSP, referral to other service providers, help gathering evidence, assistance applying to the City’s Access to Housing Waitlist).
Hamilton Community Legal Clinic
- In charge of the Tenant Defence Program.
- Legal advice on tenant rights and how to enforce them.
- Help tenants with N12, N13, AGI, T6, and T5 applications.
- Assistance navigating the LTB system.
- Legal representation through the LTB tribunal process.
Hamilton Housing Help Centre
- Help tenants find & maintain new or temporary housing.
- Educate and engage landlords & tenants on their rights and responsibilities.
- Mediation of landlord and tenant disputes.
- Help applying to financial assistance programs and accessing social & subsidized housing.
LET’S TALK ABOUT TENANT RIGHTS
Did you know…
- Landlords can only increase the rent once every 12 months by a provincially set amount (2.5% for 2024 & 2025) without applying for an Above Guideline Increase (AGI) at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).
- If you receive notice for an AGI, you do NOT need to pay more than the legal increase until it is approved by the LTB.
- If a tenant hasn’t violated their lease, a landlord can only evict under certain circumstances.
Receiving an eviction notice (N12, N13) does NOT mean you have to move right away; your landlord must file with the LTB and wait for a hearing. - For an N12 or N13 eviction, landlords are obligated to compensate tenants an amount equal to anywhere from 1-3 months’ rent, depending on the situation.
- Your landlord must maintain your unit and building in a state of good repair (landlords are responsible for doing all repairs, even if they think the tenant is at fault. They can only seek reimbursement through the LTB afterwards).
- Landlords are not allowed to harass, penalize, retaliate against, or interfere with tenants for asserting their rights or for forming a tenant association/union.
Number One Rule: Don’t sign anything!
Resources for tenants (Click to view)
Already involved with the tenant support program?
Fill out our client satisfaction survey: 
Need more help? Contact Us!
Phone: (905) 393-5734
Email: tsporganizer@acorncanada.org
Address: 56 Mulberry St Suite 8, Hamilton, ON (by appointment only)
Join our city-wide tenant support group on Facebook! Click here
Tenant Support Program Partner Information
Phone: (905) 527-4572
Email: general@hamiltonjustice.ca
Address: 100 Main St E, Suite 203
Website: hamiltonjustice.ca/housing-rights/
Phone: (905) 526-8100 ext. 207
Email: catherine@housinghelpcentre.ca
Address: 119 Main St E
Website: housinghelpcentre.ca/tenant-support.html
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 4557
Email: housing@hamilton.ca
Website: hamilton.ca/tenant-support-program