Renoviction crisis: Local housing advocates shed light on tactics landlords use to evict tenants
A rally was held inside the lobby of 1280 Webster St. apartment complex, where the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) released its Ontario Renoviction Report.
“The findings have been somewhat outstanding – and it’s really help to clarify the scale of the issues happening in Ontario,” said Jordan Smith, chair of the Carling-Stoneybrook Chapter.
The report was compiled through a freedom of information request from ACORN to the Landlord and Tenant Board in an effort to obtain data relating to two specific eviction notices that tenants receive from their landlords, called the N12 and N13.
“The majority of N12s and N13s are never filed, so when we’re talking about a 300 per cent increase in what is actually been filed, it’s only a drop in the bucket,” said Smith.
ACORN said the reason they are focusing on N12s and N13s is because these are increasingly becoming common tactics employed by corporate landlords to evict long-term tenants.
Renovictions occur when landlords abuse N12/N13 eviction notices that are only intended to remove tenants during extensive renovations, or when the landlord or a family member needs to live in the unit.
Patti Drouillard said her 70-year-old mother is a perfect example, “she’s been here for about 23-ish years, if not a little bit more. Retired, and low income, and she just received a renoviction letter to try to evict her and raise her rent.”
Drouillard’s mother is one of dozens of tenants from Webster Street apartments that have faced eviction noticed since April 2023.
“I came out, there was an envelope in front of my door. I opened it up, and it said I had to move,” explained Sharron Hodgson, who was also served a notice last year.
She has opted to stay inside her apartment and file a complaint with the landlord tenant board, which currently has over 53,000 cases on the waiting list..
Hodgson wants people facing a similar situation to know their rights, “N13 is just an intent to evict, it wasn’t a legal document, which I didn’t know.”
ACORN said current loopholes in Ontario’s rent control measures incentivize owners to evict long-term tenants, as there is currently no limit on rent increases for a unit that becomes vacant.
“People who have nowhere else to go, and no resources to turn, and they are using these shock and awe, blatant bullying tactics, misleading information lying outright, everything they can do,” said Smith.
ACORN is now calling on municipalities across Ontario to pass anti-renoviction bylaws and rental replacement bylaws to protect existing affordable housing and stop tenant displacement.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.