Renovictions – Another Reason Why Affordable Housing Units Are Becoming Scarce
Last weekend I was upset to learn that several tenants living in an apartment building on Richmond Road received eviction notices to vacate for renovations. I joined Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Chandra Pasma along with a number of volunteers this past Sunday afternoon going door to door in the affected building to give out information to residents on tenants’ legal rights in hopes to help assist them with this terrible situation. During this time, I had the opportunity to speak with many of the residents who are devastated by this announcement and are terrified to lose their affordable apartments. Most were paying a reasonable rent for their unit and are looking at trying to find a new place to live. Everywhere they inquire they are finding rents to be almost double what they are currently paying. This is why we need to look at the whole process by property owners of forcing tenants out so they can charge more for the same unit.
On Thursday evening I attended an information session organized by MPP Pasma for the affected tenants. ACORN and Community Legal Services were on hand to help provide information and support. Please know that I am committed to doing everything in my power as the municipal representative to support these residents and others in this situation.
As this matter comes under the jurisdiction of the Provincial government, I will be working closely with MPP Chandra Pasma to explore all possible avenues to address this issue and see we can do to assist those and others during this challenging time.
The city is in the process of exploring a renoviction bylaw that would make it harder to evict tenants in order to charge a higher rent. That report is expected to come to council sometime this September. I will be sure keep the community informed on this file as it moves forward.
