Toronto intends to have a new bylaw in place by the end of next July, aiming to halt a predatory practice used by some landlords to force tenants out in the name of building upgrades by using regulations implemented elsewhere to great success.
Housing advocates and politicians alike have battled for years against a practice known as renovictions. It sees tenants kicked out of rental units under the auspices of construction or maintenance work, when that work doesn’t actually necessitate the displacement. In many cases, tenants have reported learning no work was actually done and their former landlord jacks up the rent for another tenant.
Coun. Paula Fletcher said at a Wednesday briefing on the new rules that landlords will now be held to a higher standard.
“‘I’m changing your bathroom, I’m changing your kitchen cabinets and you need some new lights, I need this vacant in order to do …