Councillor Ariel Troster and community advocates say that a renovictions by-law is still urgently needed, despite recent changes made by the province to the Residential Tenancies Act.
Ottawa city staff released a report yesterday, seeking council’s direction on whether or not to bring the proposed Rental Renovation Licence By-law to council for a vote. They say they think the by-law may no longer be necessary, despite the fact that it would provide protections not contained in provincial law.
Key elements of the unreleased draft by-law, such as a mandatory tenant education guide and the requirement to obtain a licence before evicting tenants for the purpose of renovation, are not captured by these provincial changes.
“Council should make the ultimate decision as to whether or not a renovictions by-law is necessary. This issue deserves to be debated and voted on and shouldn’t just be killed via a report by city staff, said Councillor Troster.
Christelle Azzi, Staff Lawyer, Community Legal Services of Ottawa agrees:
“A decision with consequences this serious deserves transparency, public debate and due process,” said Azzi. “A by-law would function as a proactive and preventative municipal measure, while Bill 97 and the Landlord and Tenant Board can only address harm that has already occurred.”
For Roxane Donovan, an ACORN member in Vanier facing a renoviction, “The city has a responsibility to act now, otherwise we will keep seeing more seniors and families on the street.”
Debbie Staple agrees: “My life was turned upside down in 2024 when my landlord gave my whole building N13s. I joined ACORN and we fought because otherwise I would have had to live in my car at 64 years old. I won’t feel safe until Ottawa has a renoviction bylaw that is strong like Hamilton and Toronto’s.”
“The City of Ottawa has made housing and affordability a major public priority. This by-law is an opportunity to turn those words into action by protecting tenants from losing the few affordable units left in the nation’s capital,” said Azzi.
Councillor Troster will bring a motion to the Planning and Housing Committee meeting on June 3, demanding that city staff release the draft by-law, to be debated at the June 17 meeting.
Community advocates and legal experts say that a renovictions by-law is still urgently needed, despite recent changes made by the province to the Residential Tenancies Act.
There’s a new park opening at the corner of Lyon and Albert this summer, and when city staff asked me who we should name it after, I didn’t hesitate when I said: Diane Holmes.
Some days at City Hall are about the little things like potholes, garbage pick-up and noise complaints.