Calls to strengthen new ‘renovictions’ by-law fail to sway councillors [Video]

Urgency to get some municipal protections in place for tenants at risk of “renoviction” outweighed concerns that a draft licensing by-law requires strengthening to be effective.

On Monday, members of tenants’ advocacy group London ACORN held a protest in front of city hall before bringing their message directly to a meeting of the Community and Protective Services (CAPS) Committee.

“This city is bleeding affordable units! We’re losing them at a massive rate!” warned Jordan Smith, chair of the Carling-Stoneybrook chapter during his delegation to the committee.

Renoviction is a term to describe the unethical use of N-13 notices to evict low-income tenants on the pretense of renovating their unit, but in fact the landlord takes advantage of the vacancy to hike the rent.

A draft licensing by-law recommended by city staff would require landlords who issue an N-13 Notice to: