A tenant in Toronto fears that the landlord of the home she rented is trying to evict her in order to increase the rent fees associated with the unit she lives in.

When Lorelei Borromeo was told that her rent would increase by $200 per month, she knew that the building owner she lives in would not allow the increase because not long ago the landlord tried to raise her rent, but she received an eviction notice stating that she would have to leave so that the landlord's family members could move into the residence.

Borromeo was worried that this was not true and suspected that the landlord wanted her to leave the home so they could rent it to someone else at a higher price.

Borromeo said that she eventually decided to take her case to court, adding that she made sure she moved into a building that was built before 2018, which means her landlord must adhere to the regional rent increase guideline - 1.2 percent every twelve months. In her case, this meant the landlord could raise the rent by $37 a month, saying, "When I was looking for a unit, I was looking for a rent-controlled unit so I could avoid unexpected increases."

About 1.6 million people rent in Ontario, and with the real estate market slowing down and interest rates rising, more people are looking to rent, which in turn leads to higher rental prices.

Jordy Dent, the executive director at the Metro Tenants Union, a group that advocates for tenants, said some landlords are trying to evict tenants either by saying a family member needs a home to live in or that renovations are needed.

As for Borromeo, she continues to pay rent every month and said she would agree to any LTB rules in her case saying: "It's not just about the money, it's about the principle of the matter. So whatever the outcome, I’m happy to abide by it, as long as everyone follows the rules."