ACORN Ontario releases report on ‘biggest renovictor’ in the province

A new report released by ACORN Ontario says it has connected a landlord with multiple buildings in the province, including here in Waterloo Region, as the “biggest renovictor” in the province.

The report alleged that a landlord by the name of Michael Klein is responsible for issuing hundreds of renoviction notices to at least 21 buildings across multiple cities, including Kitchener, Cambridge, London, and Toronto. A renoviction is when a landlord evicts a tenant by saying they need to make major renovations.

The buildings in Kitchener that have been affected include 141-149 Borden Ave. N. and 250 Frederick St.

Speaking on The Mike Farwell Show on Wednesday, Jacquie Wells, ACORN’s representative for Waterloo Region, said that tenants in those buildings have been seeing the same pattern that they have seen in other buildings owned by Klein across the province. This includes repairs not being completed at their buildings.

“I know at 250 Frederick St., they have had multiple issues with the garbage compactor, rat infestations because garbage is not being taken away,” said Wells. “Also, things like parking for example, which was previously included in their rent, they start charging $250 for.”

During a renoviction, tenants will be given forms saying they need to move out of their unit at a certain date because the landlord wants to complete major renovations. The rent of those units are then increased for new clients. Wells said tenants are misled to leave after a set date.

“They’re not informed of their rights of a hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board and given legal forms that basically get them to sign away their rights to their unit,” said Wells. “They are asked to sign off on a new lease, which is illegal, or they’re asked to basically sign off on being evicted through no fault of their own.”

ACORN has called for the province to introduce full rent control and vacancy control and on local municipalities across the province to pass anti-renoviction bylaws. They have also requested the federal government open a “public registry of ownership” so tenants know who their landlords are.

570 NewsRadio has attempted to contact two of Michael Klein’s building managers but has not received a response.