Toronto ACORN responds to RentSafeTO Update Report; deputes at Planning & Housing Committee
Posted April 21, 2026
Members celebrate new remedial action framework; vow to keep organizing
Toronto ON — Last week, more than a dozen ACORN members attended the Planning & Housing Committee meeting after the City of Toronto released its highly anticipated RentSafeTO Update Report from Municipal Licensing & Standards, outlining a suite of proposed changes to the program in response to last year’s Ombudsman Toronto report, Council directives, and tenant organizing.
ACORN members applauded three proposals in particular: a colour-coded rating system for Toronto’s apartment buildings, reweighed scoring for building evaluations, and a framework for conducting remedial action at rental properties when landlords repeatedly fail to maintain their apartments. With the size of RentSafeTO’s team of Bylaw Enforcement Officers doubling since 2023, this report shows a program that’s come a long way since its launch in 2017.
Many renters in Toronto have to deal with unacceptable living conditions. Black mold in our children’s bedrooms. Cockroaches and bedbugs. Our recently released State of Repair Report shows that almost 44% of tenants surveyed felt that their landlord didn’t do repairs quickly enough. We’re tired, and we need the City to step up.
Mayor Chow is the first mayor in Toronto ACORN’s 22 years of organizing to centre tenants’ experiences and involve us in the decision-making processes of this City. Her motion last month to crack down on bad landlords was a bold move, and we’re heartened that she’s paying close attention to tenants’ issues.
There’s more that needs to be done. From conducting in-unit inspections, to mandating a universal work order form, to adding evening shifts to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer team, ACORN members will be pushing to strengthen the RentSafeTO program further, and we look forward to working with the Mayor and Council to make that happen.
Click here to write to the Mayor and your City Councillor demanding that they give RentSafeTO teeth!
For more information, contact Toronto ACORN at (416) 461-9233 or [email protected].
