FMTA Joins One Toronto Campaign
OneToronto is a network of environmental, arts, student, labour and social justice groups representing hundreds of thousands of Torontonians. We have come together to provide an alternative vision of the City to the one that is dominating the current election debate, to help voters realize what's at stake, and to get them engaged.
The FMTA has joined other supporting organizations and individuals such as the ones which can be found here.
More FMTA in the news!
One thousand two hundred tenants of St. James Town face sudden homelessness after a recent fire on Wellesley Street East. An FMTA Board member speaks to the difficulties they face and the urgent need to support them in this story.
George Smitherman says that if elected mayor, he would introduce a 2 per cent tax break on apartment rental units. Estimating this would put an extra $50 a year in the average renter's pocket, it is not clear how he would enforce landlords' responsibility to pass the savings on to tenants. Read the story here.
Geordie Dent, FMTA Executive Director, speaks on CBC's Here and Now about the ins and outs of tenant insurance.
City Election is coming! Attend a Housing Forum at St. Stephen's Community House
What are the election issues for tenants and people who are homeless? On October 14th at 12 noon, attend a Housing Forum hosted by St. Stephen's Community House.
Guest speakers:
- Yutaka Dirks from the Housing Network of Ontario: Toronto's need for new affordable housing
- Linda McMurdo from the Dream Team: Supportive housing needs
- Geordie Dent from the Federation of Metro Tenants Associations: what tenants are asking for
- The Corner's Member Advocacy Committee: Why it's important to vote
Have your say. Share your concerns with our panel.
A light meal will be provided.
Everyone is welcome.
Some TTC tokens available. Please ask for them.
For more information contact:
Helen Armstrong
Community Development & Social Action Worker
St. Stephen's Community House
416-964-8747, ext. 254
Fax: 416-966-2178
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ststephenshouse.com
New links and resources
Our Organizing Documents page has been updated with a few resources:
- Services for Tenants and Landlords in Toronto
- Sample Questions for Municipal Candidates (from HomeComing Community Choice Coalition)
- Social Planning Toronto's Voter Kit 2010
- Toronto's Affordable Housing Action Plan 2010-2020
- YIMBY: Yes In My Backyard toolkit
Also, check out our updated Links page!
311 Emergency After Hours Service
The Municipal Licensing & Standards Division of the City of Toronto, with the assistance of 311 Toronto, says that residents to contact ML&S staff for emergency matters after regular business hours, weekends and on holidays by visiting 311 Toronto or calling 311. ML&S enforces City by-laws such as the Vital Services by-law (covering fuel, gas, hydro, hot or cold water) and the Heating by-law (requiring landlords to provide heat to a minimum of 21 degrees Celsius between September 15th and June 1st), and Property Standards (other repairs).
Tenant Issues in the News!
According to Toronto's fire captain, an estimated 80% of renters in Toronto do not have any form of contents insurance.
CIUT FM89.5 spoke to Geordie Dent, Executive Director of the FMTA, about Tenants Insurance, which most tenants do not currently have. Listen to the show here. A summary of the show is in this article.
Geordie is also featured in another article about how to cope with a fire or flood in your home.
Finally, the Toronto Star reports that a private bed bug registry website has become a popular (though imperfect) resource for tenants. Read that article here.
Time to Turn on the Heat!!
The heat should now be on in your apartments to ensure that it is a minimum of 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 F) all the time! The landlord has this requirement from September 15th to June 1st.
If you find your apartment cold, you should pick yourself up a thermometer and for a few days write down the date, the time, and the temperature in your unit. Measure the temperature in the middle of the room. If the temperature in your unit is less than 21C, let your landlord know, in writing (keeping a copy for yourself), that they must address the issue immediately. If the landlord does not address the issue, you can contact the City of Toronto Property Standards office at 3-1-1.
Best of luck and happy heating!
Rent Increase Guideline for 2011 is 0.7%
The Ontario Annual Guideline amount for 2011 has been set at 0.7%.
This means that your landlord cannot increase your rent in 2011 by more than 0.7%. So, for example, if you rent is $1000 per month, the maximum your landlord can increase it to is $1007. Your landlord must give you 90 days written notice to raise it.
The Annual Guideline also sets the percentage of interest that landlords must pay tenants on any rent deposit they are holding (i.e. "last month's rent").
For more information on rent increases, rent deposits, above-guideline rent increases (if your landlord applies to the Landlord and Tenant Board for permission to increase your rent above 0.7% because of an increase in operating costs or to cover major capital expenditures), or interest on your last month rent deposit, see http://www.cleo.on.ca/english/pub/onpub/PDF/landlordTenant/rentincs.pdf or call the Tenant Hotline at 416-921-9494.
Bed Bug Summit
The FMTA will be attending MPP Mike Colle's Bed Bug Summit on September 29th and we are looking to share tenants' experiences with bed bugs. If you would like us to share your stories, what worked, what didn't, and what the impact was on your life, please let us know! You can reach us at [email protected]. Thank you!
Get on the Voters List!
Toronto Elections is asking you to "Get on the list!"
Are you on the voters' list? It's important that you are as it makes voting fast and easy - and it's as simple as 1, 2, 3 to get on the list:
1. Call 311 to find out if you are on the voters' list.
2. If you're not on the list or if there are changes needed simply complete a Voters' List Change Request form. This form is available on our website for download or can be mailed to you.
3. Mail the completed form along with a photocopy of your acceptable identification to us, or visit any one of the City Clerk's Offices in person with your acceptable identification by October 15.
It's as simple as that.
You can still vote even if you're not on the voters list. Show up to your voting place with acceptable identification and you can be added to the list when you go to vote.
For more information on getting on the voters' list, acceptable identification or to download a Voters' List Change Request form visit our website.
toronto.ca/elections