On Nov 2021, City Council approved my motion seconded by Councillor Egli to advance a fulsome legal review to prevent renovictions.
Motion
A year later, earlier in June 2022, the City presented its review and tools to advance a set of by laws that can ensure proper protection for tenants through the City’s approval process for planning and building permit. (Link to the report)
Such tools include prohibiting conversions of residential rental properties to a purpose other than the purpose of a residential rental property, of six units or more, without a permit. This will prevent a building to be converted to a condominium or business without a permit granted by Council or delegated authority. Additionally the City may impose conditions on the permit and may require an agreement be registered on title.
Council took another step to protect existing tenants of affordable rental housing. Renovictions occur when a landlord evicts tenants to renovate and replace them with higher-paying tenants.
Further to the existing tools that exist for the City of Ottawa to advance by laws to protect renovictions from happening, the City will request the Province of Ontario address the Residential Tenancies Act and other relevant legislation to review opportunities to prevent and prohibit renovictions.
Renovictions have impacts on the City, on tenant (affordability and vulnerabilities) and for the landlord’s corporate social responsibility through building renovations and development potential plans.
The City of Ottawa, will also review opportunities to establish a bylaw prohibiting demolition or conversion of six or more units of residential rental housing. The intent is to report back with recommendations by mid-2023. (this seems very specific, if stays please copy and refer to the pages in the report.
City Council’s objective to protect affordability, grow housing affordability and at the same time allow for renewal of rental buildings and increased density (development) aligns with the ban on renovictions which council hopes to advance and achieve through introductions of City of Ottawa by laws and Government of Ontario changes (including at the landlord tenant tribunal).
As we focus on building more rental housing, more affordable units, it is also important not to increase the challenge that we face to ensure Ottawa remains affordable.