Chatham-Kent councillors pitch rules to curb renovictions

After an entire apartment has been served eviction notices for renovations, a councillor is seeking bylaw options. CTV Windsor’s Robert Lothian has the update.

An alleged attempt to renovict residents at a Chatham apartment building has municipal council considering its legal ability to prevent future cases.

Marjorie Crew, a Chatham-Kent municipal councillor representing Ward 6, is planning a notice of motion to have staff examine an N13 bylaw.

N13 notices have been used unethically to evict low-income tenants from their units, under the belief it was needed to facilitate extensive repairs.

Instead, deceitful landlords have hiked the rents without major work.

The motion comes after 40 tenants at an apartment building in Chatham were informed they have to leave due to renovations planned by the building owner.

Crew hopes the municipality can find a pathway to protect “legitimate” landlords, and the rights of citizens.

“You legitimately need that unit vacant to do those renovations, and to get permits to do that,” Crew said of what she hopes to see in the bylaw.

“That we guarantee that the folks that are being displaced are brought back within a reasonable amount of time, maybe some compensation to help them as they navigate that,” Crew explained.

Implemented in other jurisdictions, such as London and Toronto, the bylaw has helped ensure landlords take legitimate steps to show they are planning significant renovations.

Crew’s motion will be presented a council meeting on Feb. 9, 2026, and if approved, will be referred to staff to develop a “made in Chatham-Kent” bylaw.