By Jennifer Pagliaro City Hall Bureau Wed., March 6, 2019 A program that helps match seniors with rooms to spare and students in need of living accommodations could see up to 400 people more in more affordable housing each year if the city comes up with the necessary funds. In a city where a growing [...]
By Emily Mathieu Affordable Housing Reporter Tues., March 5, 2019 Standing in the packed lobby of a Toronto apartment tower Wendy Lum fielded questions, broke down rental housing law basics and marshalled volunteers. It is a familiar and efficient routine. Lum is part of The Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations and half of a two-person [...]
The Toronto St. Paul’s Tenants’ Associations Network will be holding the St. Paul’s Riding All Candidates Meeting where you will have the opportunity to learn where your Provincial candidates stand on today’s tenant issues such as Above Guideline Increases (AGIs), Renovictions, the Landlord and Tenant Board and affordable housing. Please join me in attending this [...]
Since 2012, I have been strongly advocating for the City of Toronto to protect tenants from extreme heat. Despite motions that I moved in 2012, 2013, 2014 and, 2017, no substantive action has been implemented by the Medical Officer of Health or the Municipal Licensing, and Standards Division. No solutions were presented to Tenant Issues Committee earlier this year [...]
Rental Market Reality As many of you know, there is a rental housing crisis in Toronto. Vacancy rates have been hovering around 1% in the past year and very few of the limited apartments available are affordable. That’s why I asked City Planning Staff to bring a report on current rental housing market conditions in Toronto. Planning [...]
As Chair of the City's Tenant Issues Committee, I advocate for renters across Toronto. Please feel welcome to attend our next meeting on Friday February 9th at 1:30pm in Committee Room 2 at City Hall where we will be looking at critical issues affecting housing in our city. I have provided the Agenda items below for your review. [...]
Every Canadian deserves affordable and accessible housing, and all levels of government must work together to meet this goal. Please join me and the other elected officials of Toronto-St. Paul’s riding and share your questions, concerns, and ideas on this issue, and let’s work together to ensure the housing needs of our community are met. [...]
Earlier this year, many Midtown tenants suffered during a late September heatwave. Some residents reported temperature readings of over 30 degrees Celsius in their units as a result of their landlords turning on heat and/or not turning on air conditioning. I first moved a Council motion in 2012 to protect our community's renters from the [...]
Also in last week's budget, the provincial government introduced a number of measures they hope will cool down Toronto's housing market. One of these measures is a 15% Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) on non-Canadian citizens, non-permanent residents and non-Canadian corporations buying residential properties containing one to six units in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH). Other [...]
The longstanding issues with the province's 1991 rental loophole allowing unlimited increases have recently been exacerbated by landlords taking advantage of Toronto's overheated housing market by doubling rents in some cases. After a long campaign by the Federation of Metro Toronto Tenants Associations, ACORN, ACTO, my office and many others, I want to commend the provincial government for introducing [...]
