Though he was quick to put a moratorium on residential evictions in the midst of the health crisis, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is now seeking to pass a piece of legislation that will negatively impact renters in the province.

Bill 184, called the Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act 2020, has been the talk of residential renters this week, with many worrying about what its proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean for them if it successfully passes.

This morning the PC government forced a second reading vote on Bill 184 - a piece of legislation that (among other things) will make it easier for landlords to evict tenants.

In the midst of a global pandemic, Doug Ford has shown, yet again, how far he will go to hurt tenants.

— Suze Morrison (@SuzeMorrison) May 27, 2020

Though the legislation does provide some benefits for tenants — like the fact that a landlord would have to give compensation or an alternative living situation if they terminate a lease to move in themselves — it also has aspects that are bad news for renters already trying to cope with a notoriously pricey rental market (along with, you know, a global pandemic).

Despite its name, the bill would change how and even if tenants can defend themselves in an eviction hearing, would amend the rule requiring landlords to give 90 days' notice before a rent increase, and would see the immediate eviction of renters who miss one installation of a rent arrears repayment plan.

EMERGENCY ACTION: Text Doug Ford now at 416-805-2156 or email doug.fordco@pc.ola.org to ask why he is making it easier for landlords to evict tenants in the midst of #Covid_19.

STATEMENT: Ford Goes Behind Tenants’ Backs To Weaken Tenant Protectionshttps://t.co/FwveopvDww pic.twitter.com/GdrCZt4nTn

— Keep Your Rent Toronto (@KeepYourRent) May 27, 2020

It's not the only time in recent memory that the premier and his team have brought forward a movement that would make life tougher for renters.

And many, including leaders of other parties, have pointed out that along with the issues in the legislation itself, the middle of a health crisis and economic recession is not the most sensible time to be passing new laws regarding evictions.

Bill 184 will allow a lot more tenants to be displaced causing more homeless, we need laws that protect tenants and fix the housing crisis! STOP Bill 184 NOW! @fordnation #HamOnt

— Mike-ACORN (@AcornMember) May 28, 2020

"COVID-19 is the worst health crisis we have experienced in over 100 years, yet today Doug Ford moved forward with Bill 184, which will make it easier for landlords to illegally raise rent and easier for them to evict us," University-Rosedale MPP Jessica Bell said in a video on the subject that she posted to social media on Thursday.

"This is is going to make corporate landlords even richer, and it's going to make life even more expensive for renters in our city. We need real protections from evictions so that those of us who can't afford to pay rent during the pandemic get to keep our homes."

This week @fordnation tried to slip through Bill184 - a bill that will make it easier for landlords to illegally raise the rent and evict renters.
📣ACT NOW: send a message to Ford and Minister Clark here: https://t.co/IXmECdVX6I
📑LEARN MORE here: https://t.co/STJaqoJofv #onpoli pic.twitter.com/VGACE82qYe

— Jessica Bell (@JessicaBellTO) May 28, 2020

The proposed bill also comes at a time when the province's Landlord and Tenant Board is experiencing massive backlogs and delays due to fewer adjudicators and other internal issues.

And, pre-existing landlord-tenant tensions in cities like Toronto add another layer of concern, especially with the financial precarity that COVID-19 is causing for everyone.

Ontario NDP Tenant Rights critic @SuzeMorrison says it’s simply wrong for Doug Ford to capitalize on a pandemic to quietly ram through legislation that will make it easier for landlords to evict tenants. https://t.co/KbqR3BT6lO #Covid19 #Covid19Ontario

— Ontario NDP (@OntarioNDP) May 27, 2020

The piece of legislature passed through its second reading at Queen's Park on Wednesday, leaving one final pass to go through before it becomes law.

Hopefully the opposition from the NDP, Green Party, grassroots organizations and members of the public will mean that the timing and nature of the bill is reconsidered before that happens.