Item - 2013.EX32.23

City Council on May 7, 8, 9 and 10, 2013, referred Motion MM33.8 to the Executive Committee.

The Government of Ontario released a consultation paper in April 2004 on residential tenancy reform to invite public feedback on how to improve the former Tenant Protection Act.  In June 2004, Toronto City Council submitted the City’s response to the consultation paper with recommendations of improvements.

The City’s recommendations that were not adopted by the Ontario Government included:

-           discontinuing the exemption pertaining to rent increases for rental buildings built or occupied after November 1, 1991 thus leaving such tenants with little recourse in facing significant rent increases; and

-           an automatic rent freeze on all rent increases where there is non-compliance with outstanding work orders rather than allowing landlords to apply for above guideline rent increases (AGIs) and placing the onus on tenants to prove the negligence of the landlord at the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Residential tenants make up almost one-half of Toronto’s population, and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported that tenants on average faced a rent increase of 3.3 percent (higher for many living in post-1991 constructed units including rented condominium units), while recent proactive multi-residential building audits by Municipal Licensing and Standards inspectors have revealed widespread maintenance issues across Toronto.

(Submitted to City Council on May 7 and 8, 2013 as MM33.8)