Chatham-Kent Council has given its unanimous approval to a new bylaw covering renovation-related evictions.
Ward Six representative Marjorie Crew expressed her gratitude for the tenants at Terrace 40 who faced reno-viction after residents were served with notices to vacate their units earlier this year.
“Their bravery and their relentless determination in the face of uncertainty, worrying about their homes, where they were going to go, they didn’t know what was next and you really inspired me,” said Crew.
“The Terrace 40 situation made me aware of how devastating these N13 evictions could be.”
The new Rental Renovation License By-law will come into effect this October, with landlords being required to obtain a license at a cost of $500 per unit before renovating rental properties requiring the tenants to vacate the premises.
“This does not prevent reasonable renovations to rental units, we still want that to happen we do not want that to stop,” said Councillor Alysson Storey.
“This is not an absolutely perfect solution, but it is a good one and we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good in situations like this we must move on it, we must protect our residents, and continue to make sure that we aren’t forcing more people into dangerous and challenging situations when they do not have a place to live in our community.”
In their presentation to council, Deputy Chief Administration Officer Dave Taylor explained the cost associated with the by-law would be $152,365 which includes hiring a staff member on a 16-month contract and creating an education campaign for landlords and tenants that will focus on making the new by-law as easy to follow as possible for both parties. This cost will be funded from the strategic reserve with future costs being referred to the 2028-31 multi-year budget.