City of Toronto Earmarks $250,000 for Bedbug Funding
On Thursday May 20, 2012 city council unanimously voted to spend $250,000 towards fightning bedbugs and assisting the Toronto's bedbug eradication team. This team is responsible for over 4,136 inspections in 2011 and 180 deep cleans. If you would like to access more assistance with bedbugs contact 311 and explain your situation
For more information on bedbugs in the City of Toronto
http://www.toronto.ca/health/bedbugs/index.htm
Is the heat getting you down? Start a heat registry!
A heat registry is like a neighbourhood watch but instead of keeping your community safe you are ensuring that your neighbours are protected from the extreme heat. To start a heat registry in your building all you have to do is get a group of tenants to agree to check up on eachother during the hot weather, this can include calling your neighbours on the phone to see if they are okay during the dog days of summer.
For more information on starting a heat registry check out
www.toronto.ca/housing/heatregistryguide.htm
Limits Set On Guideline Rent Increases
On Wednesday June 13, 2012 the government of Ontario passed legislation that amended the Residential Tenancies Act as it relates to guideline rent increases. Previous to this amendment the guideline increase was set by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and would go as high as the index allowed. Now the guideline increase is still set by the CPI but it is capped at 2.5 percent. This means that if the CPI exceeds 2.5 percent you will only receive an increase of 2.5 percent. Now the guideline is limited between 0-2.5 percent, no more, no less.
For more information
http://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2012/06/2013-rent-increase-guideline.html
New Resources!
The FMTA's Guide to Tenant Rights is now available in Hungarian.
FMTA's 38th Annual General Meeting
Join the FMTA for our 38th Annual General Meeting on June 23rd, 2012 at 10am.
The AGM will be held at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) - 252 Bloor St. W, Room TBD
All FMTA AGM's include:
- Board and Staff Reports
- Presentation of the Audited Financial Statements
- Appointment of the Auditor
- Member motions Board Elections
All active members of the FMTA are welcom to attend!
Hope to see you there!
Operation Maple Presents: Living with Bedbugs
A video created by Operation Maple on living with Bedbugs in Toronto.
Featuring Bart Poesiak from Parkdale Legal Services.
FMTA Exposes Bad Landlords
Bad landlords have recently been exposed by the FMTA in a series of news articles.
The CBC program market place recently ran a 30 minute segment on a large corporate landlord who was not doing maintenance and had tenants living in delporable conditions.
The FMTA was able to work with it's partners and CBC to bring to light the issues facing the tenants in these buildings and highlight the lack of enforcement of tenant laws when it comes to basic maintenance.
Watch the episode here.
Bad landlords who take advantage of newcomers to Canada were also highlighted recently in the Toronto Star, specifically in relation to landlords who charge illegal rent deposits. The FMTA was able to work with partners including the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation and The Human Rights Legal Support Centre to expose the explointive activity landlords are engaging in and the impacts on tenants coming to Canada.
Read more here.
Wellesley Institute on Human Rights and Zoning
A year ago, the Ontario Municipal Board struck down a zoning bylaw in Kitchener that restricted supportive housing in a particular neighbourhood, citing the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Advocacy Centre for Tenant in Ontario (ACTO) was the motivating force behind this case.
Now, the Dream Team, a group of psychiatric consumer / survivors, has launched a similar legal action, alleging that zoning rules that impose minimum separations and other restrictions on supportive housing and group homes are a violation of the Human Rights Code.
The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has launched a full legal hearing at regarding zoning rules that restrict the location of supportive housing for people with physical or mental health needs.
Read more at:
VECC and FMTA Save Millions in Hydro Costs for Toronto Tenants
A proposed increase in hydro rates by Toronto Hydro has been denied by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) after recommendations made by the FMTA.
More can be read here.
Toronto Hydro was seeking to increase rates by $5 month for a typical Toronto household.
The FMTA met with the Ontario Energy Board in late November to relay our concerns about the impact such a massive increase would have on Toronto tenants. 25% of tenants pay hydro costs directly, while others pay through their rent.
The Vunerable Energy Consumer Coalition (VECC) of which the FMTA is a key member also made key recomendations to the Board.
While the OEB denied the rate increase for Hydro, the FMTA also urged the Ontario Energy Board to consider a full hearing for Toronto Hydro to determin if the companies claim that their infrastructure needs required such a large increase, were correct. The OEB denied the full hearing.
Support Your Federation!
The FMTA is now on Paypal and can accept credit card or internet-based donations or membership applications. Donating or becoming a member of the FMTA has never been easier!
Membership dues and donations allow the FMTA Board of Directors to undertake campaings to strengthen tenant rights, seek out new and innovative services for tenants, provide membership benefits and hold annual events.
To donate or become a member, simply click on the donate button to your right. Donations or membership dues can be given to the FMTA without a paypal account (just click on the "Don't have a PayPal account?" link on the bottom left hand of the donations page.
Membership dues for the FMTA are:
Individual - $20 / year
Senior, Student, Unemployed - $5 / year
Supporter/Organization Member - $50 / year
Tenants' Association:
- <10 members = $50/per year
- 10-50 = $100/year
- 50 - 100 = $150/year
- 100< = $200/year
Condo Tenants Association: $20/year
For questions about FMTA membership and or benefits, please contact 416-646-1772 or [email protected].