Renoviction bylaw passes another council hurdle with the public now able to weigh in

The City of London is one step closer to cracking down on renovictions after a council committee agreed to start collecting public input on a proposed bylaw Monday.

City staff had recommended the bylaw be brought before council on June 25, but after closer consideration, they have requested feedback from Londoners first.

The draft bylawcurrently sees a $400 per-unit licensing fee tolandlords who want to serve tenants an N13 form notifying them of evicting due tothe demolition, renovationor conversion of their unit.

"I see [renovictions]as an epidemic in our city. It's going unchecked. It's resulting ina systematic drive to increase our rents, and it's unraveling a big chunk of the city's societal fabric," Coun. David Ferreirasaid during the committee meeting.

"Families are getting kicked out from first their neighbourhoods, then their communities, and sometimes the city itself," he said.

Renovictions are a growing concern in London. Tenantrights advocates say landlords are abusing N13forms to evict, then dramatically raise rents.

Data obtained by tenant advocacy group ACORN in February pegged London as having among thehighest number ofN12 and N13 forms issuedin Ontario from 2017 to 2023.

Committee members voted unanimously in favour of starting the public participation process for afuture bylaw to crack down on those practices.

"When it comes to people who are trying to turn our housing into strictly investments, I would have this message for you," said Ferreira, who said he has several N13 forms from constituents on his desk at the moment. "Ahome is a home. A home is not a commodity. Expect the loopholes to close, and please start investing with wisdom, not greed."

According to city staff, if all goes according to plan, a bylaw could be in place by early 2025.

Still, some unknowns and concerns loom, most of which will be ironed out by the time council is asked to make a decision on its fate, according to staff..

"I am a little concerned about the proposed staffingcost that's laid out for sixindividuals and about a $600,000 price tag," said Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis.

Lewis expressed concerns over the $400 proposed licensingcostand whether the revenue the city generatesissuing them will be enough to cover the cost of implementing the bylaw.

It's also unclear how much landlords in breach of the bylaw would be fined, a number that would have to be laid out in a separate bylaw.

Staff also told councillors that any requirements laid out by the bylaw would not be applied retroactively, meaning it would only apply to N13 forms issued after its implementation.

As forN12 forms, which are issued by landlords who want to evict tenants sotheir families, themselvesor someone purchasing the propertycan use it, staff said a separate bylaw would likely have to be worked on in the future.

As of Monday, the council committeevoted to receive the bylaw as currently proposed, and begin the public participation process. It's scheduled to take placeJuly 15.

City staff estimate council could be voting on the final bylaw inthe fall.