Renoviction STOPPED: Toronto tribunal win against Michael Klein ‘King of Renovictions’

ACORN is celebrating a major victory for tenants at 80 Guestville Avenue in Toronto’s Mount Dennis neighborhood, where the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) has dismissed a temporary eviction application filed by Michael Klein, brought against longtime resident Nadine Lewis. The decision marks a critical step in the fight against predatory ‘renovictions’—a tactic used by landlords to displace tenants under the guise of renovations.

Nadine Lewis, who has lived in her two-bedroom apartment for over 16 years and raised her three children there, was overjoyed by the decision. “I was so happy, I didn’t know what to do,” she shared after hearing the adjudicator’s ruling.

The eviction attempt was initiated by Guestville Apartments Inc., a company linked to Michael Klein, a business owner tenant advocates have labeled as one of Ontario’s most prolific ‘renovictors.’ Klein has denied these allegations, claiming his companies operate within legal boundaries and that there is “no such thing as a renoviction” under the law. However, the tribunal’s decision suggests otherwise. The adjudicator dismissed the N13 eviction notice after Lewis’ lawyer presented evidence that the landlord lacked the necessary building permits required for the planned renovations. This critical detail undermined the landlord’s justification for evicting tenants under the pretense of substantial renovations.

This ruling is not an isolated case. Dozens of tenants in Klein-affiliated buildings across Ontario are actively fighting similar N13 eviction notices. At the same tribunal session, another tenant from 80 Guestville Avenue also had their eviction application dismissed. In late February, three more neighbors will face hearings, with hopes that their cases will be consolidated to demonstrate a pattern of bad-faith eviction attempts. This victory is a testament to the power of tenant solidarity and the importance of legal advocacy in the fight against housing injustice. ACORN Canada remains committed to supporting tenants facing renovictions and advocating for stronger protections against these exploitative practices.

As Nadine Lewis boldly declared, “We are here to stay and we shouldn’t be treated this way.”

Read the full article written by Gabe Oatley on the Village Report.