Submission on municipal rental replacement by-laws
United Ways across Ontario, Tower Renewal Partnership, and Neighbourhood Change Research Partnership make recommendations to the provincial government on preserving and renewing existing affordable rental stock so that low-income Ontarians can remain safely and securely housed.
The More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 gives the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing the authority to make regulations imposing limits and conditions on the powers of a local municipality to prohibit and regulate the demolition and conversion of residential rental properties. Such a scenario may have the unintended consequence of leading to a net loss of rental units as existing units may be demolished and replaced. Older apartment buildings offering relatively affordable rents would be prime candidates for demolition and redevelopment, potentially deepening the affordability crisis by displacing thousands of low-income Ontarians struggling to make ends meet. With no other affordable housing options, this change could result in immediate housing instability for thousands of renter households throughout Ontario. And with affordable housing options ever more out of reach for low-income families, broader social and systemic inequities—including poverty and discrimination—are re-enforced and magnified.
This joint submission makes three recommendations focused on preserving and renewing existing affordable rental stock so that low-income Ontarians can remain safely and securely housed:
- Consult with municipalities in development of regulations to ensure municipalities can continue to require replacement rental housing and support impacted tenants.
- Preserve Ontario’s affordable rental housing stock by supporting mechanisms that enable community-based non-profit organizations to acquire and preserve existing affordable rental stock.
- Work with municipalities, community agencies, residents and building owners to explore opportunities to leverage development capacity of existing rental housing sites, particularly legacy tower in-the-park sites, which have capacity for new housing and mixed-use development by supporting mixed-use intensification, particularly near Major Transit Station Areas.
Submission on municipal rental replacement by-laws
Read the full submission by United Ways across Ontario, Tower Renewal Partnership, Neighbourhood Change Research Partnership