Landlords in Waterloo will have to adhere to new regulations when renovating their properties as the city plans to implement a renoviction bylaw next year.
The city council approved a Rental Renovation Licensing bylaw on Monday night, which will require landlords to secure a licence when they issue an N13 notice to tenants for renovations that necessitate the unit being vacant.
City staff presented three options during the meeting. Their recommendation was to maintain current service levels under the city’s Rental Housing Licensing Program, but after listening to several delegates, council opted for a complete renoviction bylaw.
“The downside of doing nothing at this point or maintaining the status quo is going to put us further behind than what I would like to see us,” Coun. Sandra Hanmer said.
“I appreciate all the delegations today because you certainly helped facilitate and alleviate some of the questions I had in my mind.”
Mayor Dorothy Mc Cabe opposed the full bylaw, arguing that staff are already collaborating with landlords to tackle tenant concerns through the city’s Rental Housing Licensing Program.
“I don’t want people thinking that we don’t care about the landlords we have here and I think we have a lot of good ones because we have a really robust Rental Housing Licensing Program, where staff are able to maintain and build really good relationships and keep on top of these things,” Mc Cabe said.
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Documents needed to obtain licence
With this new bylaw in place, landlords must provide various documents when applying for a licence upon issuing an N13. This includes confirmation that they require vacant possession of the rental unit, copies of building permits, and proof that tenants received information regarding their rights and obligations from both landlord and tenant perspectives. A licensing and standards officer will review these applications, responsible for investigating any non-compliance issues, according to city officials. A tenant support liaison along with a tenant support fund will also be established under this new regulation. The liaison will serve as a primary contact for those experiencing housing instability or eviction challenges as well as conflicts with their landlord. The support fund will allocate $20,000 from the city budget aimed at assisting tenants who need financial help accessing legal or advocacy services related to evictions.Tenant compensation needed, advocate says
Jacquie Wells, chair of ACORN’s Waterloo Region chapter, shared her approval of council’s decision regarding this full bylaw implementation with . “All of our members, not just me, are extremely happy to see that council saw the value in moving forward with it despite staff’s recommendation,” Wells stated. Wells expressed her desire for tenant compensation provisions be included in the upcoming mid-2027 rollout of this bylaw. This would mean landlords cover rent differences if tenants need new housing during renovations and also handle moving costs associated with relocating in and out of units during that period. “Without the tenant compensation component long term , the bylaw won’t be very effective in reducing N13 notices because it’s what truly discourages landlords from ignoring tenants’ right of first refusal,” she noted. The city intends to incorporate requirements concerning tenant compensation and moving expenses into legislation before presenting it back before council for final approval.Source link
