Affordable Housing Services - MPP Monica Ciriello 2026

Consumer Protection & Your Home

Learn about Ontario’s Building Code so you can meet building regulations.
What are your rights when hiring a mover?
Help protect yourself when starting home renovation or repairs. Learn how to hire a reliable contractor and what you need to include in your contract with them.

Know your Rights

Your Rights under the Consumer Protection Act. Learn about things like the cooling-off period, misrepresentation, delivery of goods and your rights under contracts.
- How do I file a consumer complaint?
Door-to-Door Sales and Home Service Contracts. Learn about how to avoid common door-to-door scams for water heaters, home heating and other services.
When signing or Canceling a Contract. Under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) see what should be included in a contract, and how you may be able to cancel one.

Home buyers and Condo Owners

What should I know before buying a home? Learn about consumer laws protecting home buyers, choosing a real estate agent, buying a new or pre-constructed home and hiring a home inspector.
What are my rights and responsibilities as a condominium owner?
- Contact the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT) to resolve condominium-related disputes conveniently, quickly and affordably.

Housing Support

What is Ontario’s Housing plan?

There are Subsidized Housing & Programs available to recipients of Ontario Works (OW), Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and low-income families.
- The Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) provides a direct, monthly benefit to eligible households to help pay their rent.
- The Emergency Repair Program, open to OW and ODSP recipients, funds serious and urgent repairs that would jeopardize the condition of the home, to the point of adversely affecting the household’s health and safety.
- Housing Allowances, provide a monthly flat-rate subsidy, that helps bridge the affordability gap for households living with low incomes in private market rental housing.
- Housing Stability and Rent Ready Benefits help ODSP, Ontario works recipients and people with low income maintain their housing.
- The Utilities Arrears Program helps low-income households, ODSP and Ontario works recipients pay for utility arrears, disconnections, and security deposits.

Social housing Aid in Hamilton

Housing Help Centre: Hamilton & Area, is a non-profit social service agency providing housing access, stabilization and eviction prevention services.
- 119 Main St. E.
  Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z3
  905-526-8100
Access To Housing (ATH) helps with the application process and maintains the central waiting list for subsidized housing for social housing providers in Hamilton.
- 350 King St. E., Suite 110 – First Place
  Hamilton, ON L8N 3Y3
  905-546-2424 ext. 3708
  Email: ath@hamilton.ca
City Housing Hamilton, is the largest social housing provider in Hamilton. CHH provides homes that are safe, well-maintained and affordable for people who live and work in the community.
- 181 Main St. W
  Hamilton, ON L8P 4R8
  905-523-8496
City of Hamilton Housing Services
- 350 King St. E., Unit 110
  Hamilton, ON L8N 3Y3
  905-546-2424

Helping Renters

Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act

Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17 | ontario.ca
Learn about what your Landlord can and cannot do under the Residential Tenancies Act. For example, Landlords cannot:
- Enter your unit without proper notice
- Raise rent more than once every 12 months
- Eviction without valid and legal reasoning. Landlords must follow proper legal steps and file an application through the Landlord and Tenant Board. The LTB will then decide whether to issue an enforceable eviction notice or not.
- Shut off Essential Services such as heat, water, electricity, or gas.
- Change the locks without providing a replacement key or code
- Ban pets (with some exceptions, such as individuals living in rental condo buildings. These individuals must comply with the Condominium Act and any condo corporation rules and by-laws. Exceptions also include individuals who have been issued a Form N5 due to safety, health, noise, or property damage concerns)
- Demand illegal fees or deposits
- Disregard repair or maintenance requests from tenants
- Intimidate, harass, or threaten you
- Force you to renew, cancel, or sign a new lease
- Reprisal against you for placing complaints
- Force eviction due to renovations or maintenance (ie: Reno-viction). Landlords must provide a Form N13 and apply to the LTB for approval to proceed. Renovations must reach a certain threshold of which would not be safe for tenants to remain in the rental property throughout. Tenants are legally entitled to move back into the property post-renovations; and at the same rate of rent. The intent to move back in must be stated in writing before renovations take place. Bad faith evictions will not be approved by the LTB
- Charge additional fees for standard services, unless otherwise stated in the lease agreement before signing
- Require tenants to provide post-dated cheques, or automatic payments as a condition of renting. Tenants have the right to choose how they pay rent

Renters Help

The government of Ontario has created a guide to help individuals understand Standard Leases in Ontario.

Learn about Your Rights When Renting in Ontario. Whether you are a residential tenant or a landlord, this guide will help you understand the laws which affect you.

Learn about the rules for rent, including Rent Increase Guidelines and resolving issues about rent control.

City of Hamilton: Tenant and Landlord Resources

Learn about by-laws and regulations that govern rentals, and the available programs and supports available to both tenants and landlords, by viewing the City of Hamilton’s Tenant and Landlord Resources pages

The Landlord Tenant Board

The Landlord & Tenant Board (LTB) resolves disputes between residential landlords and tenants as well as views eviction applications filed by non-profit housing cooperatives.