By Julianna Nowaczek
Ottawa is not doing enough for low-income renters according to Bob Busby of the Somerset West Action Network.
This comes despite a promising court decision late last month in Toronto. The ruling will give the city the right to block the conversion of lower-income rental units into higher-priced condominiums when the vacancy rate is less than three per cent. The case set a precedent for all Ontario cities.
The saga began when cities in rental crises began implementing policies to protect rental space. By encouraging developers to build new units and blocking conversions in tight markets, the city had hoped to ease the rental situation. Developers were unhappy with the conversion policy so they took their case to the Ontario Municipal Board, a provincial body that hears cases on land disputes. The Board rejected the policy, but was overruled last month.
The decision comes on the heels of the worst rental crisis in Ottawa’s history.
While the Somerset West Action Network will only be formally discussing the issue later this week, Busby says they “strongly agree that Ottawa’s far behind as far as conversions go.” The same is true for low-income housing in general.
According to Housing Help, a housing information and assistance agency, more rentals have become available in the last few months. However, the most desirable low-income housing is still very hard to get.
“If someone is waiting for subsidized housing, it could take up to eight years to get it,” says Trudy Sutton, Housing Help’s executive director. “In the private market it takes some people months and months to find what they’re looking for and even then it may be slightly more than they could pay.”
This is the case for Patrick Gordon, a 26-year old Centretown renter. He currently lives in a bachelor apartment but is looking for something with at least one extra room.
“My girlfriend and I have been checking apartments for about five months now,” says Gordon. “Every time we see something we really like, they hit us with a figure that’s almost double what we’re paying now. That’s insane for just one extra bedroom.”
Many factors have contributed to the scarcity of rental units in the city including a large population growth and a lack of new rental units. The biggest threat came as developers converted lower priced housing into more expensive condominiums. Not only did they cost more, but there were less of them. For example a small apartment building that had 200 units may have been turned into a row of townhomes that has only 50.
Somerset Ward Councillor Elisabeth Arnold says she’s thrilled by the decision because it will save housing in the city.
“I’m really pleased they are permitting the City of Toronto to exercise its right,” says Arnold. “There were a couple of landlords [in the ward] that were waiting for this.” Now they will not be able to convert their units as planned.
It is unclear just what sites were at risk for conversion. According to Bev Johnson, director of marketing for Minto Developments, there “is nothing we’d be considering doing this to.” Since Minto is Ottawa’s largest developer and landlord this means a lot of rental housing in the area is safe.
Despite glad tidings, the rental market remains daunting for those looking for housing. While stopping conversions will help a little, many feel it’s not enough.
“So they’ve saved a few apartments,” says Gordon. “I don’t see how this will make it easier for us to find an affordable place to live.”