Protection of Rental Housing

From 1991 to 2001, Ontario lost 44% more rental units each year than were being built. As a result, there are now fewer private rental units than the province had in 1991. ACTO has supported efforts to control the demolition or conversion of existing rental housing stock.

City of Toronto

Toronto’s existing stock of rental housing is being eroded through applications to demolish or convert to condominium. New construction is nowhere near the level needed to replace the loss of rental units through demolition and conversion, or to meet the annual demand for new rental housing.

ACTO has appeared before the Ontario legislature’s Regulations and Private Bills Committee to support the City of Toronto’s request for special legislation that would give the municipality the authority to regulate the loss of rental housing through demolition or renovation. The private bill – Pr22, City of Toronto Act (Rental Housing Units), 2001 - did not proceed to second and third reading in the Ontario legislature.

Across the province

ACTO recommended, in a November 2001 written submission to the members of the General Government Committee considering the proposed new Municipal Act, that the power to approve the demolition or conversion of existing rental housing stock be placed squarely in the hands of all municipalities through an amendment to the bill. Unfortunately, ACTO’s proposed amendment – and similar amendments brought forward by the Liberal and NDP MPPs in the committee – were not supported by the then Conservative government members of the Committee.

In the ACTO/LCHIC written submission to the provincial government's spring 2004 Residential Tenancy Reform Consultation, we recommended a freeze on all conversions and demolition until a restored, improved Rental Housing Protection Act is enacted.