Mississauga is implementing a new bylaw effective September 1 to combat renovictions by landlords seeking to increase rents through alleged renovation purposes. The Rental Repairs and Renovations Licensing bylaw mandates landlords issuing N13 notices for extensive repairs or renovations to also obtain a municipal license within seven days, costing up to $600. Additionally, tenants must receive extra compensation per Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act.
ACORN Canada discovered that between 2017 and 2023, Mississauga ranked ninth among Ontario cities for N13 notices with 68, while Toronto led with 950. The city council did not disclose specific renoviction numbers but acknowledged existing issues within the community.
The bylaw grants Mississauga bylaw enforcement agents the power to inspect local activities for compliance with licensing requirements but does not dictate tenant eviction. Landlords are required to keep tenants informed during the repair or renovation process.
Several municipalities in southern Ontario, including Hamilton, Toronto, London, and Kitchener, have adopted similar bylaws in recent years. These regulations aim to address renoviction issues at the local level.
Noah Lister-Stevens, a Toronto-based paralegal specializing in landlord-tenant cases, highlighted the impact of the hot rental market on renovictions. He emphasized the importance of rent stabilization laws and praised Mississauga’s bylaw for preventing landlords from circumventing them.
Boubah Bah, the Small Ownership Landlords of Ontario founder, representing 8,000 small property owners, expressed dissatisfaction with the new rules. Bah argued that the additional processes discourage local real estate investment, particularly affecting small landlords who lack resources for renovations due to capped annual rent increases.
According to Statistics Canada, over half of rental properties are owned by small landlords. The city assured that the new framework considered the needs of small landlords.
The Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations noted a decline in evictions reported since 2021, crediting Toronto’s 2024 renoviction bylaw. Executive director Yaroslava Montenegro highlighted the positive impact of these regulations in reducing bad faith evictions and supporting tenants’ rights in the Greater Toronto Area.