Town hall spotlights renters’ rights when threatened with renoviction

A virtual town hall is hoping to help arm regional renters with the knowhow to protect themselves, their homes, and their rights when faced with the threat of renoviction.

“I am so mad about what goes on in these renoviction situations,” said regional councillor Rob Deutschmann, host of Thursday’s virtual town hall.

Speaking on The Mike Farwell Show Thursday morning, Deutschmann said the event will offer opportunity to hear first-hand the daunting realities faced by many regional tenants.

“We’re not saying all landlords are bad,” he clarified. “[But] there are bad actors, for sure, and it’s those bad actors that really get my blood boiling.”

Deutschmann said the main point of this event is about making sure regional renters know how to assert their rights when threatened with renoviction.

He also said he understands there is a need to build more homes, but there’s also a need to consider those displaced in the process.

“We have to just pause and say, what is going on here? What is being done to ensure that these people are transitioned to something at least according to the laws of the land?” he said, while also suggesting it may be time to update the rules themselves.

“I do these town halls but I say to myself, what’s the next thing? What’s the next step? You can’t just have a meeting to talk about it with no action.”

Meantime, the event itself will feature six guest speakers. Participants will also be able to ask questions and share their own perspectives.

It runs Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and more information can be found here, along with how to register.