City of Kitchener should not adopt renoviction bylaw: staff report

Renovictions will be top of mind for Kitchener councillors on Monday evening.

A report from city staff coming to the Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee is not recommending a renoviction bylaw for the city. Staff suggest applying for more funding from the federal and provincial governments to help build affordable rental housing, as well as working with community partners that help tenants. The report also supports creating education materials for landlords and tenants, as well as the creation of a landlord-tenant forum.

“Only Hamilton and London’s (renoviction bylaws) are currently in effect,” reads the report. “Hamilton received its first application under its bylaw at the beginning of May. Given the infancy of these bylaws, it continues to be too soon for staff to evaluate the effectiveness of these Ontario licensing bylaws in preventing evictions.”

Meanwhile, some advocates are not accepting this suggestion from city staff. Linda Vos, a leader with ACORN and a tenant on Frederick Street in Kitchener, said renters in the municipality and the region continue to be scared that they may be kicked out of their homes.

“When you are about to lose your home, you can’t think of anything else,” said Vos. “It affects your life, it affects the lives of your loved ones and how you feel in the city.”

Voss adds that ACORN has been asking for the discussion of renovictions to come to Kitchener City Council for over a year.

ACORN will be holding a rally outside of Kitchener City Hall on Monday evening before the committee meeting at 6 p.m.

“ACORN members are calling for Kitchener City Councillors to do the right thing and move forward with an anti-renoviction bylaw for Kitchener regardless of City Staff’s Report,” said a press release from ACORN.

Mayor Berry Vrbanovic is set to join the Mike Farwell Show on Monday morning at 9:30 a.m.