Press Hits

The gulf in affordability effectively forces some Carleton students to choose between Gatineau’s lower prices and higher commute times, or Ottawa’s higher rates and shorter commutes. But why is there such a stark cost difference between Ottawa and Gatineau housing? Housing advocates are pointing to a lack of rent control as the problem. “Many people are [living in] Gatineau because of the apartment price,” said Tamirat Ganeda, a representative from the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

Tenant advocates marked a huge win Wednesday as the City of Toronto released the details of a long awaited “renoviction” bylaw. “Finally we can smile,” said Alejandra Ruiz Vargas, Canada chair for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). “Every time we come in here to protest or to dispute [but] today we can relax. Justice has been served to the City of Toronto and I think tenants in every part of the city, they should celebrate tonight. They should say that, ‘Finally,we have been heard.’”

Toronto city staff unveiled a draft renovictions bylaw to protect tenants from unlawful evictions on Wednesday, set to be considered by city council in November. According to the draft bylaw, Toronto landlords will be required to apply for a rental renovation licence with the city within seven days of issuing an N13 notice, which is provided by the province, to end tenancy. The licence will cost $700 per unit.

London City Council unanimously passed a bylaw aimed at protecting tenants from unfair renovictions, but some advocates say the measures are not enough. Before council’s vote on Sept. 24, around 30 ACORN protesters held a “camp-out” outside city hall. Earlier this year, the City of Hamilton enacted an anti-renoviction bylaw after pressure from ACORN Hamilton. According to London city councillors and city staff, Hamilton’s bylaw inspired London’s proposed restrictions.

Evicted from her apartment, Carol Rogers is glad to have found a new place to live, but fears other tenants who stayed past the eviction date in the building she used to live in could face homelessness. For the London chapter of ACORN Canada, an organization that advocates for tenants, what’s happening to tenants at 435 Nelson St. is a case of “demovictions,” evictions for the purpose of demolishing a building to make more profit from a property.