Residential Tenancies Act: Briefing Book - Michael Walker

Residential Tenancies Act, 2007
B R I E F I N G B O O K
Overview of the Residential Tenancies Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE REFORM & COUNCIL RESOPNSES
Since the enactment of the Tenant Protection Act (TPA) in 1998, concerns have been
raised about various aspects of the law, including excessive rent increases, fast-track
evictions and poor maintenance in rental buildings. When the current Ontario Liberal
Government took office in October 2003, it promised to repeal the TPA and replace it
with new legislation to provide real rent control and protection for tenants. In June 2004,
in response to the Province’s consultation on reform of the TPA, City Council
recommended changes in 15 key areas concerning the rules that regulate rents and other
tenancy issues: www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/report-citys-response-tpa-consultation2004-
2.pdf.
The submission also included a Planning report that dealt specifically with the issue of
conversion and demolition of rental housing: www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/uds-responseprov-consultation-paper.pdf.
The report recommended that the provincial government
bring forward permanent legislation to provide Toronto and other interested
municipalities with the power to control the conversion and demolition of rental
properties. This recommendation was not addressed in the RTA. Nevertheless, the new
City of Toronto Act, proclaimed on January 1, 2007 and the amendments to the Municipal
Act do provide the City and other municipalities with such power. Section 111 of the City
of Toronto Act states that: “The City may prohibit and regulate the demolition or
conversion of rental housing properties with 6 or more dwelling units”.
In January 2006, City Council submitted more amendments to the TPA based on
Councillor Walker’s recommendations: www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/clr-walkercommunication.pdf.
In addition to the submissions, on March 9 2006, Council hosted a
special Tenant Forum for tenants and housing advocates resulting in more than 450
tenants supporting Council’s recommendations to change the TPA and save the existing
supply of affordable housing. Proceedings of the Tenant Forum and recommendations
were forwarded to the Province: www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/forum-proceedings-2006appendix-a.pdf.
On May 3, 2006, the provincial government introduced Bill 109, the proposed
Residential Tenancies Act, and held public hearings in Toronto in late May and early
June. A written submission on behalf of Council was made by Mayor David Miller to the
Standing Committee on General Government: www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/writtensubmission_060206.pdf.
It was reinforced by Councillor Michael Walker, Chair of the
City’s Tenant Defence Sub-Committee, through his deputation to the Standing
Committee on June 5.
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