Renters concerned about new legislation that could change their rights

Bill 60, currently making its way through the Ontario legislature, could weaken renters' rights, officials and opposition MPPs are warning.

Provincial legislation that many fear will weaken tenants’ rights in Ontario is drawing a strong response from many groups.

Bill 60: Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act was recently presented by the Ford government and concerns are being raised about how it could affect renters and landlords.

Mikayla Clancy, who has rented the same apartment in Sudbury for 10 years, said she was shocked when she read Bill 60.

“Rental security has given my family the opportunity to budget appropriately for our lives, to budget for daycare costs and welcoming our child and the eventual hope to purchase a home,” Clancy said.

“We need that rental security to be able to do these things. And so when I saw that so many of our rights were at risk with Bill 60 … it made me very nervous.”

However, changes that could have led to the end of rent control are not proceeding, Housing Minister Rob Flack said on social media Sunday.

Sudbury MPP Jamie West of the NDP said the bill has not changed -- and he fears the end of rent control may still be included.

Public reaction

West said public reaction prompted Flack’s statement.

“I think it’s because their offices were also flooded with emails about how dangerous this is for them,” he said.

At this point, West said he believes the government will use a procedure to pass the bill that will allow it to forgo public consultations.

“There’s no committee on this,” he said.

“They’ll drive it through, there’ll be minimal debate on third reading. It’s less than an hour in total. Or maybe it’s an hour in total. But they’re going to push it through as fast as they can.”

Improvements needed

West said there are two things that can be done to improve the rental system for both tenants and landlords.

“The Landlord Tenant Act, that act needs to be fortified and strengthened,” he said.

“Not piecemeal, but really, you know, meet with tenant groups, meet with landlord groups. What’s the best way that regular people can utilize this and make it more effective so that both people are protected?”

The second is having Landlord Tenant Board (LTB) staff in Sudbury to address issues.

Sherry Jordan, who has 25 years of experience in property management in the city, has been pushing for change for a long time.

“Of course, we don’t want landlords taking advantage of laws and tenants being left out on the street,” Jordan said.

“However, we’ve never tried it this way and a long time. So why not make the change? Because I have clients that have made me leave units empty because they don’t want to deal with the LTB or the RTA, or they turn to, different ways, like Airbnbs.”

Jordan said that if the government can get landlords on side and open up more units to the public, that maybe that would lower rents due to an increase in inventory.