Archives 2003

All of our news releases and letters from 2003

December 4, 2003
For Immediate Release
Federation Releases Redprint - Calls for Immediate Moratorium on Rent Increases

The Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations is advising the new Ontario Government to keep its promise of "real protection for tenants at all times." It is time TO STOP ALL RENT INCREASES PENDING NEW LEGISLATION.

The FMTA has developed a Redprint containing 29 recommendations for fair legislation for tenants. This was approved as a statement in principle at the Federation's Annual General Meeting last Saturday.

"When adopted, there will not be any more unfair rent increases in Ontario," stated Dan McIntyre, Outreach Program Co-Ordinator for the FMTA, "and it will end the horrible nightmare of vacancy decontrol. We will also close the eviction factory known as the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal."

The Redprint was delivered to the Minister, The Honourable John Gerretsen on December 3rd. "We have started on the right path to get the changes that tenants need," said Gail Nyberg, Hotline Co-Ordinator of the Federation.

"The moratorium on increases is essential. Landlords are still taking rent increases and still exploiting tenants. The damages of the Tenant Protection Act must stop now," said Vivienne Loponen, Chair of the FMTA Board.

Redprint for Tenant Law Reform

December 4, 2003
For Immediate Release
Federation Releases Redprint - Calls for Immediate Moratorium on Rent Increases

The Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations is advising the new Ontario Government to keep its promise of "real protection for tenants at all times." It is time TO STOP ALL RENT INCREASES PENDING NEW LEGISLATION.

The FMTA has developed a Redprint containing 29 recommendations for fair legislation for tenants. This was approved as a statement in principle at the Federation's Annual General Meeting last Saturday.

"When adopted, there will not be any more unfair rent increases in Ontario," stated Dan McIntyre, Outreach Program Co-Ordinator for the FMTA, "and it will end the horrible nightmare of vacancy decontrol. We will also close the eviction factory known as the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal."

The Redprint was delivered to the Minister, The Honourable John Gerretsen on December 3rd. "We have started on the right path to get the changes that tenants need," said Gail Nyberg, Hotline Co-Ordinator of the Federation.

"The moratorium on increases is essential. Landlords are still taking rent increases and still exploiting tenants. The damages of the Tenant Protection Act must stop now," said Vivienne Loponen, Chair of the FMTA Board.

FEDERATION CAUTIOUS AND WATCHFUL OF LIBERAL RENT CONTROL POLICY

September 30, 2003

During this campaign, the Liberal party has confirmed and improved their policy on rent control.

However, the policy still does not call for a rent freeze or roll back and they continue to discuss vacancy rates in connection to possible de-control.

"Vacancy rate discussions are a trap for politicians cleverly set by the landlord lobby", said Dan McIntyre, Program Co-ordinator. "It is the worst false signal since Y2K".

The vacancy rate has gone up because landlords have created an artificial rent market that keeps young people out, that keeps retiring people out, that forces newcomers to share housing, and makes condominium purchasing a better option for many.

"In fact" says McIntyre "we have lost 17,000 rental units in the GTA according to recent census data". Meanwhile, landlords continue to squeeze existing tenants for annual increases well above the level of inflation.

We have talked to many candidates during and before the election. We have been promised a role in the development of new policy and legislation.

Tenants have made this issue a priority in many hotly contested ridings. The winners on Thursday must be held to account and we will be pushing fast and hard for meaningful true and permanent reform.

The Tenant Protection Act has been a nightmare for tenants. What will we be waking up to?

For Immediate Release August 28, 2003

RELIEF TIME FOR TENANTS

The Federation of Metro Tenants Associations is calling on Premier Ernie Eves to place a moratorium on rent increases for 2004.

Under Provincial law, the Province must announce this week the rent guideline for 2004. The 2003 guideline of 2.9% marked the 17th consecutive year that the guideline exceeded the rate of inflation. During the last five years, hundreds of thousands of tenants have experienced even greater increases because of the landlord enriching Tenant Protection Act.

"Tenants have gone through a lot and suffered financial hardship because of high rents" said Dan McIntyre, Outreach Co-Ordinator for the FMTA, "and tenants have also suffered through SARS, West Nile, the power blackout and other misfortunes this year……give us a break from rent increases".

The Federation wants the whole legislation scrapped and replaced with true protection for tenants. A moratorium on increases would be a start.

Gail Nyberg, Hotline Co-Ordinator "Even if it was seen as only a cynical pre-election ploy, the relief is necessary. Too many families are struggling to pay the rent and feed the kids. Too many seniors are seeing an intolerable erosion of their fixed incomes. Too many working people are working more for their landlords than for themselves."

The guideline should be published in the Ontario Gazette this Saturday.

June 3, 2003

NO RENT CONTROL FOR DOGS EITHER

A major Toronto landlord is now charging rent to dogs. The Federation has obtained a lease used by Briar Lane Management that requires an extra monthly payment of $250 a month for apartments with dogs.

Pets are permitted in all Ontario apartments, but some tenants will have to pay $3000.00 a year for that right.

Starting rents are not regulated under Ontario’s ill advised Tenant Protection Act.

"This is a further exploitation of a bad Act" said Dan McIntyre, Program Co-Ordinator for the FMTA. "What’s next – added charges for having children?"

We will be urging any tenant to bring a case forward to have this charge disputed. Meanwhile, we will continue to call for a whole new Act and for fairness for tenants.

Pets are a good thing – exploitation by landlords is not.

We will be making the Government aware of this further bastardizing of their Act.

May 6, 2003

SARS VICTIMS NEED PROTECTION FROM EVICTION

The Federation of Metro Tenants Associations wants to ensure that no SARS victim loses their home.

In a letter to the Minister of Housing, and to the Chair of the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal, the FMTA asked that a directive be issued.

The protection would be for those victims who fall behind in their rent because of being stricken with SARS or because they lose their job because of the disease.

Last week, the Federal Government announced that victims would be protected against mortgage default.

Although the issue has yet to arise at an eviction hearing, the FMTA knows all too well how easy it is to fall behind on escalating Toronto rents.

"There is no need to compound a tragedy by evicting victims" said Gail Nyberg of the FMTA.

May 6, 2003

The Honourable David Young

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

And

Mr. Chisanga Puta-Chekwe

Chair, Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal

Re: SARS and Tenants

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to ask that no tenant be evicted if that tenant is a victim of SARS.

Victims include those stricken by the disease or those who lose their jobs or livelihood because of the disease.

Under section 84 of the Act, Tribunal Officers appear to have sufficient legal authority to deny an eviction on the basis of unfairness. However, leadership should come from one or both of you, and a directive should be issued by you.

We note in the variety of measures taken by Governments, that the Federal Government has said that there will be measures to protect against defaulting on mortgages.

We thank you for your immediate attention to this serious issue.

Yours truly, 

Gail Nyberg and Dan McIntyre

Program Co-Ordinators

March 2, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 RENTAL TRIBUNAL AWARDS LANDLORD 14.6% INCREASE WITHOUT EVIDENCE AND WITHOUT A HEARING

Tenants at 1595 Bathurst came home to a shock last week, when they found a written decision by the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal awarding their landlord a 14.6% rent increase above the annual guideline.

On January 22, the tenants were told by the Tribunal Adjudicator, Elizabeth Beckett, that she was dismissing the landlord’s application, without prejudice. The landlord Donovan McKenzie had failed to properly submit the application or the supporting documents. She referred to the file as a "dog’s breakfast" and noted that Tribunal staff could not make sense of the application.

The basis for her "behind closed doors" reverse decision was incomplete information found in the file that indicated that the landlord had paid a dramatic increase in property tax. As she had indicated that the application was being dismissed, the tenants had no need to make submissions or present evidence on this issue. The landlord had indicated on the form that taxes had increased from $9,000 to $22,000 in a one year period.

The building contains eight units and is therefore subject to a 5% cap on tax increases. In other words, such a claim by the landlord would not pass scrutiny.

On Friday, February 28, tenant Martyn Smith went to the Tribunal to ask for a review of the Order and a hearing. He paid the $75 fee required by the Tribunal. He was asked to wait while another adjudicator, Harry Fine, reviewed his request. About two hours later, Mr. Fine sent a staff member to tell Mr. Smith that the request had been denied!

Smith said "I am shocked and outraged that such a decision can be made in Ontario. First they say that there will be no rent increase….they send us home happy…and then out of the blue they change their minds and refuse to give us a hearing".

Dan McIntyre of the Federation of Metro Tenants Associations has been helping the tenants throughout. "The file was the worst I ever saw, but the Tribunal reversal and subsequent circling of the wagons is the most outrageous thing I have seen in over 20 years…the Tribunal has acted like a Star Chamber and denied the tenants their most basic rights based on very specious reasoning".

Carol Smith (no relation to Martyn) is a single mother living in the building for several years. "The Tribunal took pity on the landlord ….but what about people like me who will have to find another $145 a month to pay for this pity?".

The tenants will now seek legal help to appeal to a higher court. They will seek a grant from the City of Toronto Tenant Defence Fund to offset their costs.

The Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal was formed to deal with the "Tenant Protection Act". McIntyre charges that their institutional bias against the people they are supposed to protect is unconscionable. Ms. Beckett and Mr. Fine should resign or be fired.

Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done.