GuelphToday received the following letter from Lily Bent of the Guelph Renters Union and Housing Advocates
For countless Ontarians, the coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated an ongoing public health concern: the housing crisis. This is why many were relieved when Premier Doug Ford, at a press conference in March, assured tenants that putting food on their table was a bigger priority than paying rent.
The Premier told tenants that he would “have their back,” and that “if they can’t pay rent, they aren’t going to be evicted.”
He lied. The new housing bill, ironically deemed the Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, erodes existing tenant rights. Passed within two weeks of the end of the eviction moratorium, Bill 184 has the potential to cause mass evictions across Ontario.
Bill 184 is heavily skewed in favour of landlords in a number of ways. Currently any dispute between landlords and tenants is heard by the Landlord Tenant Board.
At the LTB, tenants can access legal information and support. Considering that fewer than 3 per cent of tenants have legal representation – compared with nearly 80d per cent of landlords – this is a crucial resource for informing tenants of their rights.
One way that Bill 184 removes this safety net is by encouraging repayment plans to be drawn up outside of the LTB, between landlord and tenant. While limited private repayment plans were previously allowed, Bill 184 gives landlords the power to include an eviction clause (known as a Section 78) in such an agreement. If the tenant fails to meet the terms of the repayment plan, landlords can now file for an immediate, fast-tracked eviction. This means no hearing in front of the LTB, and therefore no chance to argue your case or access legal help.
This is among the most frightening changes arising from Bill 184 – although there are others.
Even more terrifying is that Bill 184 was put in place retroactively to the beginning of the COVID-19 state of emergency. This means repayment plans signed during that time – when Ford told us to worry about putting food on our table before paying rent – could be subject to a 10-day expedited eviction. Many of our most marginalized community members were the hardest hit by the pandemic, and many are still struggling to choose between food, medicine, and other necessities.
We all know COVID-19 is not gone. For those struggling to make ends meet during these unprecedented times, relief is far from sight. The potential for mass evictions presented by Bill 184 not only worsens the existing housing crisis, but could also worsen the COVID-19 crisis by putting people on the streets, increasing exposure and negative health outcomes.
With the eviction freeze having been lifted on Aug. 1, renters across Ontario need to stand together to ensure the burden of this pandemic does not fall on the poorest in our community. A global pandemic is not the time to take away people’s homes. It’s dangerous both for their safety and the safety of public health. We cannot be apathetic in the face of regressive bills such as Bill 184.
Lily Bent
Guelph Renters Union and Housing Advocates
