Advocates calling on city council to enact bylaws protecting tenants from renovictions

Almost a year ago, housing advocates launched a campaign calling for anti-renoviction bylaws to be established across the region.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) of KW met online on Aug. 27 to review that campaign and phone Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge city council offices to pressure them to enact bylaws that protect tenants.

“The reason why we’re here today is because renovictions are increasing across Waterloo Region and Ontario,” Jackie Wells, one of the members, said.

Back in January, the City of Hamilton passed bylaws that protect tenant rights, after being pressured by the Hamilton ACORN chapter. In 2019, ACORN was able to get an anti-renoviction bylaw put in place in New Westminister, B.C.

It has given hope to the local ACORN chapter that they will be able to do the same in the region.

“Greedy landlords, developers and investment companies are buying up affordable housing across Waterloo Region to mass renovict tenants and increase their profit margins,” said Wells. “A few examples that we know of are 267 Trainor Ave., 250 Frederick St. and 94 Beck St., unfortunately, there are many, many more that we are not aware of.”

Other ACORN chapters in London and Toronto have also been able to push their cities to draft up similar bylaws.

One of the local members, Ryan Murdock said the region needs strong renoviction bylaws in place to stop tenants from having to leave their homes under the guise of an N13 form that was handed down from a landlord or property owner.

“Each council wants it to be the region’s problem, the region wants it to be the province’s problem and in reality, it’s our problem. It’s the tenant’s problem,” he said.“That’s why we again are holding events like this today to remind our elected officials that it’s actually them who represent us, they don’t represent corporations, they don’t represent landlords they represent people.”