In the first meeting of the Ottawa city council in 2025, council members passed a motion that would advocate for more tenant protections from renovictions on a provincial level, outlining a path forward for community organizations and residents seeking protection from bad faith evictions.
The motion requires that after a certain amount of time, and if specific steps have been taken by city staff without response or progress from the province, staff are directed to assess the feasibility of implementing a city bylaw on this issue.
The motion, tabled by Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster, was passed at the planning and housing committee last week after hearing from 24 public delegates.
The motion requires staff to advocate that the province step in on this issue and, if the provincial government does not, staff are directed to review similar bylaws implemented in other cities and identify possible funding sources for a renoviction bylaw.
The bylaw would impact situations where landlords evict tenants to complete a unit renovation or repair, then replace the tenants with a new resident at a higher rent cost.
Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill was the first councillor to speak in opposition of the motion, arguing that the priority should be increasing the rental market rather than “lumping” bad faith evictions in with routine landlord operations.
Coun. Hubley echoed Hill’s concerns, while Orléans East-Cumberland Ward Coun. Matt Luloff suggested renovictions fall outside of municipal purview, and instead are the responsibility of the Ontario government.
“We are moving into an area of provincial jurisdiction, and when we do that, it weakens our case when we go to them for funding for areas that are, in fact, our jurisdiction,” Luloff argued.
Bay Coun. Theresa Kavanagh said the City has been “doing our part” in approving housing developments, but that more needs to be done to combat homelessness.
“We need more housing, overall, and that’s the part that we’re responsible for. What the province is responsible for is landlord and tenant rules, and we’re trying to fill the gap because they’re not doing it.” she told council. “I would be very happy if they would just do their part so that we do not have this stress.
“I wholly support this, and I hope that we didn’t need it, because I hope the province acts,” she continued.
College Coun. Laine Johnson added that shying away from issues that overlap with provincial jurisdiction is a “narrow view of why we were elected.”
“Let’s be courageous here, and let’s try and figure out what is possible, instead of being concerned about who does what where,” she said. “This motion has done all that work for us, it is a cautious, incremental motion on a serious issue for which we have determined is a grand priority.
“So let’s be courageous here. It’s been very moderate in its approach, and I think we can have a nice win to start off 2025.”
The advocacy portion of the motion passed unanimously. The feasibility assessment portion for developing a bylaw passed with six councillors opposed: Hill; Luloff; Barrhaven East Coun. Wilson Lo; Gloucester-South Nepean Coun. Steve Desroches; Osgoode Coun. George Darouze; and, Rideau-Jock Coun. David Brown.
In her closing remarks, Troster said that paying to house unsheltered people is just as expensive as some preventative measures.
“When folks end up in shelters, the outcomes are not good across the board, and they are very, very expensive. I might remind the economically conservative among us here that we are adding 400 new shelter beds this winter alone,” she said. “The only way to end homelessness is to stop it at its source. I will simply say that. I will remind folks that this is a vote to further study the issue. It is not a vote on a bylaw itself.
“When I hear from rural colleagues that a roundabout is not going to work for a truck, I believe you, and I need you to open your hearts and to believe urban counsellors… that these renovictions are real…” she concluded. “So I hope you’ll join me in trying to do something concrete to end homelessness in our city.”
City staff will continue to advocate for provincial legislation protecting tenants from renovictions, and then conduct a feasibility assessment should the province fail to meet the motion’s standards. Staff will likely report back to council in 2026.
