A day after the province’s opposition leader called for a hold on eviction notices, the government has announced it is temporarily suspending eviction hearings as a result of the COVID-19 emergency.

Starting today, the Office of Residential Tenancies will not accept applications for eviction related to missed or late rent, or for other non-urgent claims. Previous eviction orders for non-urgent matter which means not related to health and safety, will not be enforced. Previously scheduled hearings for non urgent matters have been cancelled as of today.

Eviction hearings will be conducted for urgent matters like if there is a potential risk to health or safety because of violence or damage to property.

The government is concerned that evicted tenants won’t be able to self isolate or socially distance themselves. The province says tenants who can’t pay their rent during the State of Emergency will be expected to pay in full once that State of Emergency ends. However, there is no word on compensation to landlords in the interim or if rent is never paid even in the long run.