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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOR-2025-294 - Supplemental Report to Eviction due to Renovations DSD-2025-248Staff Report l �� X Tikit: ER Corporate Services Department www. kitchen er.ca REPORT TO: Council Meeting DATE OF MEETING: June 23, 2025 SUBMITTED BY: Amanda Fusco, Director, Legislated Services, 519-904-1402 PREPARED BY: Kristin VanDerGeld, Manager of Licensing, 519-904-5605 WARD(S) INVOLVED: ALL DATE OF REPORT: June 18, 2025 REPORT NO.: COR -2025-294 SUBJECT: Supplemental Report to Eviction due to Renovations DSD -2025-248 RECOMMENDATION: For Information. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: • The report highlights resourcing and timing required to develop a draft Rental Renovation Licensing By-law. • Staff will be hiring a consultant to assist in development of a Rental Renovation Licensing By-law and associated stakeholder engagement, with a financial implication of approximately $150,000. • This report supports Building a Connected City Together: Focuses on neighbourhoods; housing and ensuring secure, affordable homes; getting around easily, sustainably and safely to the places and spaces that matter. BACKGROUND: On June 16, 2025, the Planning and Strategic Initiative Committee (PSIC) considered report DSD -2025-248 (Evictions due to Renovations) where staff provided an update on `renoviction' by-laws in Ontario and outlined ways that the City may further support tenants experiencing evictions. At PSIC, the Committee approved the recommendation in the report (Path 2) and added an amendment to direct staff to report back on Path 3: "That staff be directed to refer Path 2 initiatives to the Housing for All update for consideration and implementation, as outlined in Development Services Department report, DSD -2025-248; and, That staff be directed to apply for relevant new Federal and Provincial funding and support community partners to access, programs and funding sources that support the creation and maintenance of affordable rental housing; and, *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. Page 19 of 64 That advocacy to the Province of Ontario include the proclamation and enactment of all regulations pertaining to bad faith evictions due to renovations in Bill 97, Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023; and further, That staff be directed to report back on Path 3 at the June 23, 2025, Council meeting to provide additional information on the potential timelines for the development of a proposed eviction as a result of renovation by-law, and when staff report back with the proposed by-law, the report back should include the financial impacts and staffing implications associated to implementation." REPORT: This report provides additional information on the resourcing, financial and timeline considerations for the development of a Rental Renovation Licensing By-law. Resourcing for By-law Development: Given the complexity of evictions related to renovations, limited in-house expertise in this area, and existing work plan priorities and commitments for 2025/26 for staff in licensing and legal services, as well as the capacity of additional corporate resources (i.e., planning, building, by- law enforcement, engagement) to support this work, staff will be retaining a consultant to support the development of a Rental Renovation Licensing By-law. Preliminary research is underway to identify qualified consultants with relevant experience in consultation, engagement and by-law development, with the goal of expediting a by-law and reporting back to Council no later than Q1 2026. Engaging a consultant will provide independent, specialized expertise and allow staff to advance this initiative without compromising existing work plans. Engaging a consultant is necessary as it enables: • Expertise of relevant provincial legislation, including the Residential Tenancies Act and Landlord Tenant Board processes and procedures; • Assistance in distilling the key factors of importance in the by-law to enable success and achieve a desired outcome; • Facilitation of stakeholder engagement. The consultant's work is anticipated to occur between July and December 2025 and would be funded through existing operating accounts. Timing of Proposed By-law and Staffing Model: Timelines were outlined in report DSD -2025-248. A report back no later than Q1 2026 will include a proposed Rental Renovation Licensing By- law and will outline financial and timeline considerations for the implementation and enforcement of the program, along with a comprehensive communications and implementation strategy, and will identify any permanent staffing resources required to administer and enforce the by-law effectively. Page 20 of 64 STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: This report supports Building a Connected City Together: Focuses on neighbourhoods; housing and ensuring secure, affordable homes; getting around easily, sustainably and safely to the places and spaces that matter. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Existing operating budget will be used to fund consulting work. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES: • Evictions due to Renovations Report DSD -2025-248 REVIEWED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Rosa Bustamante, Director, Planning and Housing Policy Natalie Goss, Manager, Policy & Research APPROVED BY: Victoria Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services ATTACHMENTS: None. Page 21 of 64