Motions – A. Troster – Feasibility Assessment – Development of a Renovation Licence and Relocation By-law

Council was asked to

1. That Council approve the following as a replacement to the Committee recommendations: Direct the City Clerk, on behalf of Council, to write to the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing by April 1, 2025 or within a week following the conclusion of the provincial election, whichever comes first, to request that the Province: Immediately proclaim into force the tenant protections in the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 that were passed in June 2023 through Bill 97 in order to prevent instances of illegal evictions; Fund additional public awareness and education resources regarding tenant rights around evictions due to renovations and repair, as well as evictions generally; and Provide additional funding to add resources for Provincially funded legal clinics to support and protect tenants and to prevent instances of illegal evictions.
2. Direct the General Manager of Emergency and Protective Services to communicate with their counterparts in the appropriate ministries to enquire on how the tenant protections approved in Bill 97 under Schedule 7 will be brought into force, and under what timeline; and If no response is received by staff within three months, for whatever reason, including calling of provincial election, staff will begin work on by-law review for the development of a renovictions by-law and report back no later than Q2 2026; If a response is received that Schedule 7 of Bill 97 will be proclaimed in force no later than Q2 2026, staff will consider the effect, modify the scope of work if necessary, and report back no later than Q2 2026; if a response of another nature is received, staff will consider the nature of the response and advise Council, and, if required, seek additional direction from Council; Approve that a copy of the Council-approved resolution be shared with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).
3. Approve that, given the uncertainty around the implementation timeline from the Province, as well as the lack of data available from the newly passed renoviction by-laws in other Ontario municipalities, that the General Manager of Emergency and Protective Services in collaboration with the City Solicitor provide interim updates as required on issues including, but not limited
   • any changes to renoviction by-laws from other Ontario municipalities any known implementation changes from the Provincial Government regarding Bill 97 any data made publicly available relating to renoviction by-laws in Ontario any known legal challenges brought against renoviction by-laws in Ontario.
4. Direct staff to identify additional funding sources based on the scope as part of the Q1 2025 Status report should this motion be successful; and Approve the removal of the review of potential regulations for leaf blowers and small two-stroke engines and the review of existing regulations for body rub parlours from the 2023-2026 By-law Review Work Plan.