Lewis and Cuddy call for moratorium on 'renovictions' as pressure mounts on tenants of Webster Street apartments
The plight of tenants at the Webster Street apartments in northeast London, Ont. has reached the attention of Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
On May 29, Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis and Ward 3 Coun. Peter Cuddy sent a letter to Minister Steve Clark and Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack asking for a temporary moratorium on so-called ‘renovictions’ until long-term measures aimed at protecting tenants are enacted by the province.
It is in response to weeks of rising tension at the Webster Street apartments where many tenants said they’re being pressured to give up their units ahead of their new landlord’s plan to renovate the two buildings.
Tenant Ron Baker describes the impact that the situation is having on neighbours.
“They’re virtually having a nervous breakdown,” said Baker, who has been offering moral support. “I expect we’re going to see somebody in this building or the other one die because they get so frustrated.”
“It’s really draconian methods the new owner is using, and it’s affecting the wellness and health of the residents,” Cuddy told CTV News London.
On April 5, Clark announced proposed legislation aimed at combating renovictions — when landlords force tenants out of their units for renovations and subsequently hike the rent above the tenant’s ability to pay.
However, Lewis explained that a window of opportunity exists for continued renovictions until the legislation becomes law.
“I’m glad [the province] is working on it, but we need a short-term stopgap measure to give those processes a time to get through [Queens Park] and get those changes legally put in place,” Lewis said.
The letter asks the minister to temporarily enact a moratorium on renovictions to, “prevent landlords from extortionary measures.”
“It’s imperative, we need to do it immediately,” said Cuddy about the urgent situation facing tenants.
A 'No Trespassing' sign outside the Webster Street apartments in London, Ont. is seen on May 31, 2023. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)
The letter describes the majority of tenants who live at Webster Street apartments as elderly, disabled, or on a fixed income which puts them at risk of homelessness if they lose their units.
“We can’t afford to have another 200 homeless people out to the streets here in London, and I know other cities would say the same thing about their situations,” the deputy mayor added.
The letter also requests doubling the housing allowance for ODSP recipients to help disabled tenants retain their units.
On Wednesday, a woman who answered the phone at the landlord’s telephone number said no one was authorized to comment— and hung up.
CTV News London sent three questions to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing about the letter from Cuddy and Lewis.
Here is the response from Minister Steve Clark’s Spokesperson Victoria Podbielski
Question 1: Will the Minister institute a temporary moratorium on so-called “renovictions” until a long-term solution is enacted by the province?
Answer: Our Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants plan contains a suite of new actions to make life easier for renters by strengthening tenant rights and protections. For example, we’re proposing to further strengthen protections against evictions due to renovations, demolitions and conversions, as well as those for landlord’s own use. We’re also looking at measures to give existing tenants the right to move back into the new unit at a similar rent. This would help protect affordable housing while encouraging the revitalization of older, deteriorating buildings and increasing rental housing supply.
Question 2: Will the Minister immediately double the ODSP housing allowance to prevent more Ontarians from losing their apartments due to justified rent increases based on necessary renovations and upgrades?
Answer: Under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) every tenant facing eviction has the right to a hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). If a landlord gives a tenant notice to end the tenancy, the tenant does not have to move out unless and until an eviction order is issued by an adjudicator. Moreover, if a tenant is asked to vacate a unit for the purpose of renovations, they have the right of first refusal to return to their unit if requested in writing to their landlord. We are currently proposing to double the maximum fines under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, bringing them to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations – reinforcing Ontario’s maximum fines as the toughest in Canada.
Question 3: What is the Minister doing to prevent landlords from so-called “renoviction” activities that force Ontarians from apartments that become unaffordable for the current tenants?
Answer: As part of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), our government increased income support rates by five per cent, the biggest increase in decades. The first adjustment to ODSP rates will take place in July, based on inflation. Additionally, we have increased the earnings exemption by 400 per cent, which will enable thousands of people on ODSP to fill the more than 300,000 open jobs in Ontario and increase their earnings by 400 per cent without impacting their support payments.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Hailey and Justin Bieber are expecting their first child
Hailey Rhode Bieber, Canadian musician Justin Bieber's wife, announced her pregnancy on social media on Thursday. Hailey posted a series of photos showing her baby bump alongside husband Justin.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street