Press Hits

A new Hamilton bylaw meant to crack down on shoddy apartment building conditions takes effect in January to the applause of tenant advocates but irritation of a local landlord association.

Staff plan to conduct evaluations of roughly 900 larger rental complexes by September 2027 through the safe apartment buildings program.

“We’ll be looking for maintenance and cleaning practices, health and safety and security, customer service practices and the overall compliance with the bylaw,” Joanna Manganiello, manager of rental compliance, said recently at city hall.

City staff propose permanent low-income transit discount — and a deeper cut.

Grassroots tenant organizers say Doug Ford is distracting from the housing crisis by throwing out insults and threats instead of addressing the problem.

ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) was present at Queen’s Park to protest the passing of Bill 60 on Monday.

Bill 60’s omnibus legislation has drawn criticism from a number of concerned parties. On-top of opening the door to privatizing water, while also restricting municipalities’ ability to construct new bike lanes, it makes changes to the Rental Tenancies Act and the Landlord Tenant Board that many are saying could increase housing instability.

Ford shot back at one of the protestors in attendance by saying, “Go find a job, buddy.”

When she received the notices to vacate her apartment just east of downtown Hamilton for renovations last December, a wave of panic washed over Marie Marcy.

“For the first month, I was just in tears thinking, ‘There’s no way I can afford to move out of here,’” recalled Marcy, 62.

At just over $900 a month for the two-bedroom she shares with her 29-year-old grandson in the old brick, three-storey building, the rent was what they could afford on social assistance.

Smiths Falls is looking to rein in what it sees as bad-faith evictions with a renoviction licence and relocation bylaw, expected at a committee of the whole meeting this month.

“Although provincial regulations require a landlord to issue proper notice and seek approval for evictions through the Landlord and Tenant Board, I have heard from dozens of our citizens over the past several years who have lost their home, or were (faced) with eviction, without due process,” said Mayor Shawn Pankow.

As housing advocates push back against proposed Ontario legislation they say would weaken tenant rights across the province, an Ottawa councillor is looking for the city’s support to oppose the provincial bill.

At last week’s council meeting, Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante tabled a motion calling for city council to voice its opposition to proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act under Bill 60, which the motion describes as “the weakening of tenant rights.”