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Conversion to Condominium

Converting a rental apartment building or rental townhouse complex to a condominium (individual ownership of the apartment or townhouse) usually means the owner can make more money, so there will continue to be pressure for conversions to happen.

If the City approves or cannot stop the conversion of your apartment building to a condominium, and the condominium becomes legally registered (meaning each residential unit in the building can be individually bought and sold), the TPA sets out rules for the existing tenants in the building.

If you were a tenant before the condominium was registered:

• You cannot be evicted on the basis of the new condominium owner wanting to move into the unit (your apartment) they have bought. You can continue to rent your apartment or townhouse for as long as you wish. This rule also applies to rental row housing which is being converted to individually owned units. If you continue to rent your apartment when your building has been converted to a condominium the rules regarding rent increases, as stated in [link] Paying Your Rent and Rent Increases stay the same.
• You have the “right of first refusal” to purchase your unit. This means that the landlord must offer it to you before accepting an offer from anyone else. Tenants can check if and when their building was registered as a condominium by going to the Land Titles Office, 20 Dundas Street West, 4^th Floor, Toronto. Telephone: 416-314-4430.

At January 2001 there was a $5 fee for searching for condominium registration information.

The date of the condominium registration is most important for tenants currently living in rental condominium units.

There are a few minor exceptions to the conversion rules based, for example, on when the building was registered as a condominium. This information is contained in the regulations of the TPA. Please contact the Tribunal for a copy of the regulations in this area, or if you have questions.

See Section 54 of the TPA.