Toronto restaurant owner faces eviction over disputed landlord charges

The owner of Rayah Café, a Moroccan restaurant in Toronto, is fighting to keep her business open after her landlord began eviction proceedings in June. Chef Wafa El Rhazi and her husband opened the café on Parliament Street about a year ago. The dispute is over extra charges for taxes, maintenance, and insurance, which commercial tenants in Ontario usually pay on top of their rent. The landlord, Kareem Sethi, presented a bill that changed between $11,000 and $5,000 before settling on $7,500. El Rhazi asked for receipts to verify the charges but says she never received them. She placed the money with her lawyer rather than pay without proof. Under Ontario law, landlords can begin eviction after just 15 days of unpaid rent, even when a tenant formally disputes the amount.