BRAMPTON PAUSES LICENSING PILOT AFTER PUSHBACK FROM LANDLORDS
The City of Brampton has paused its recently implemented landlord licensing pilot program, which had come into effect earlier this month.
The city said the “temporary” pause is due to concerns raised by those affected by the two-year program, which requires landlords in five electoral wards to register some types of rental properties with the city.
“We heard you and we’re making enhancements. Applications required under the two-year pilot program are suspended as the city reviews and streamlines its intake process,” the city said on its website.
Council officially approved the residential rental licence (RRL) pilot in October 2023. As of Jan. 1, all landlords in Wards 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 were required to register any rental property with five or fewer units and pay a licensing fee, while also providing additional information and submitting to random inspections of their units.
The pilot program was part of council’s ongoing efforts to address illegal rental units and rooming houses, which have been a long-standing problem in Brampton and that Mayor Patrick Brown recently said has only gotten worse in recent years.
“Health and safety of tenants, as well as maintaining the quality of local neighbourhoods, must be protected and, until now, landlords of residential units have been operating like businesses with little to no accountability,” Wards 1 and 5 Coun. Rowena Santos said in a release shortly after council approved the pilot last year.
“The program aims to ensure that landlords are compliant with all applicable laws and regulations, that rental units are safe and habitable for tenants, and that property standards are upheld,” she added.
In response to new requirements and fees, a local landlord named Ravi Sohal started a petition on Change.org on Jan. 9 calling for the city to scrap the program, which he called an unfair financial burden on landlords in an already difficult housing market. The petition had garnered nearly 7,000 signatures as of the time of this writing.
In an email, Sohal claimed the additional costs to landlords under the requirements of the RRL could range from between $1,500 and $2,000 per unit.
“This is a substantial financial commitment, especially when considered in the context of the prevailing economic challenges faced by Canadians, including post-COVID inflation and recent increases in mortgage costs due to interest rate hikes,” Sohal said.
“We wish to draw attention to the fact that such an economic burden may lead to a reconsideration by landlords in renting out their basements, exacerbating the existing housing crisis in Brampton. The impact is counterintuitive to the prevailing housing shortage in Canada, with a need for increased rental options to meet the growing population’s demands,” he added.
While providing no indication as to how long the pause would remain in effect, the city said it has already decided on some changes, including removing the requirement for a criminal record check and accepting a property tax bill as proof of ownership.
The city has also decided to exempt condominium apartments and condominium townhouses from obtaining a business license, in addition to extending a fee waiver for three months.
City officials and staff are also working on improving the online application process and “streamlining the business licence requirements for registered (additional residential units).” Inspection requirements are also under review.
Story by: Brampton Guardian
