Advocates push for anti-renoviction bylaws as Waterloo Region reports affordable housing progress

On National Housing Day, housing advocacy group ACORN continued to push for anti-renoviction bylaws.

This comes the same day Region of Waterloo reported progress in its plan to build more affordable housing.

Linda Vos joined ACORN to echo tenant concerns at her 250 Fredrick Street building, where tenants said they’re being unfairly forced out for renovations.

On Friday afternoon, she was handing out flyers, urging municipalities to try to stop renovictions.

“Take care of the people that have voted you into office, take care of the people that make your city home and just… be kind and gracious to everyone around you,” Vos said.

Advocates believe more needs to be done to protect vulnerable tenants.

“It can't just be affordable housing, there needs to be action from the city and the Region of Waterloo to protect people who already have a home,” said Ken Vogelpohl, an ACORN member.

Guelph MPP and Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is also hoping for more protection for tenants. He said it should also be easier for builders to build multi-unit residential buildings.

“So I’ve put forward legislation, for example, to legalize six to 11 story buildings along major transit and transportation corridors so we can quickly increase housing supply,” Schreiner told CTV News.

Region’s progress

The Region of Waterloo said when it comes to affordable housing, the region beat its own five-year target.

“Our target was 2,500 homes in five years, and we are just over 2,700,” said Karen Redman, regional chair.

The region also said it would be using innovative strategies to develop more affordable homes quickly by following some guidelines including:

• Unlocking Region-owned land
• Providing access to funding and land for developing affordable housing
• Exploring and implementing new, innovative techniques to develop more homes faster

CTV asked the region about maintaining the current target of 500 new affordable units a year.

Chair Redman said the region wants to be even more ambitious, calling on council to be more creative when it comes to development partnerships.

Advocates said that’s only one piece of tackling the crisis.

“If you’re adding these affordable units, but for every one unit that you’re adding that’s affordable, you’re kicking someone out on the streets or making them leave to go find an at market rate when they were expecting to be able to depend on a rent controlled unit, then you haven’t actually solved the problem,” said Vogelpohl.

ACORN said the only way to stop renovictions is to implement a bylaw against it.

“Pass this bylaw because it’s important,” said Vos, in tears.