Shortage of landlord-tenant board adjudicators leads to Thunder Bay hearing cancellations

Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board is working to hire more adjudicators, as an ongoing shortage is causing ruling delays and the cancellations of hearings in the province.

The board's adjudicators handle disputes involving landlords and tenants in Ontario, as well as eviction applications filed by non-profit housing co-operatives, the organization's website states.

The board's adjudicators presided over more than 800 such hearings involving a rental unit with a Thunder Bay address in 2017.

That number doesn't include hearings that were held in the city involving rental units in surrounding communities, such as Shuniah, Kakabeka Falls, Murillo, or Pass Lake.

However, lawyers in the city who represent landlords or tenants at the hearings told CBC News the current adjudicator shortage is leading to long delays in the delivery of rulings, and the cancellations of local hearings, which normally would take place every three weeks.

Requests to interview board representatives were declined.

However, a board spokeswoman said via email that the board's full complement of full-time adjudicators is 45; currently, there are 35 full-time adjudicators working.

Further, there are seven part-time adjudicators available, while the board would normally have eight to 10.

The shortage is affecting all regions of Ontario, and is due to recent resignations, the statement reads.

Adjudicators are appointed for a term of up to 10 years by Ontario's Public Appointments Secretariat, the spokeswoman stated.

A notice on the board's website states the board "is experiencing a shortage of adjudicators (members) which is affecting the LTB's ability to meet its service standards. As a result, you may experience a longer than usual number of days before a hearing can take place."