Write to Members of Provincial Parliament to urge them to reinstate the COVID emergency moratorium on evictions. The economy is far from recovered and many people are still out of work or working less than they were and thus struggle to meet their rent. They should not be thrown onto the street amid a pandemic and with winter coming. If they can’t pay their current rent, they will likely find it hard to find more affordable accommodation in a city in which rents are rising far faster than inflation or incomes. Note that Hamilton council voted unanimously for reinstatement of the moratorium and also indicated that if the moratorium were not provided, then assistance needed to be extended to help those evicted, as noted in section b) of the council motion below [which you can attach to your letter or email].
Second, the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit helps top up rent payments for those struggling to keep up. But the province and Ottawa need to commit much more money to this program. The city of Hamilton was able to put the housing benefit to immediate use to accommodate an estimated 320 to 350 households, which is welcome but helps only a small fraction of the 6,200 Hamilton households on the city’s wait list for subsidized housing.
Third, the province needs to commit more money to upgrading and building new social housing. The city of Hamilton reported in the summer of 2019 that the Ontario government had committed to an average of $5.8 million over three years through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative and the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative, but that was less than a third of the $21.3 million provided for the previous three years under the predecessor programs.
MPPs emails
The Honourable Doug Ford, MPP, Premier of Ontario, doug.fordco@pc.ola.org Dear Premier: End with Yours Sincerely,
The Honourable Steve Clark, MPP, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, steve.clark@pc.ola.org Dear Minister:
Andrea Horwath, MPP for Hamilton Centre and Leader of the Official Opposition, ahorwath-co@ndp.on.ca Dear Ms Horwath:
Sara Singh, MPP, critic for housing, SSingh-QP@ndp.on.ca
Suze Morrison, MPP, critic for Tenants’ Rights, SMorrison-CO@ndp.on.ca
Paul Miller, MPP, Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, pmiller-qp@ndp.on.ca
Sandy Shaw, MPP, Hamilton-West-Ancaster-Dundas SShaw-CO@ndp.on.ca
Monique Taylor, MPP, Hamilton Mountain and critic for Children and Youth Services, mtaylor-qp@ndp.on.ca
Donna Skelly, MPP, Flamborough Glanbrook, donna.skelly@pc.ola.org The only Conservative MPP from our area.
From the Minutes of the August 21, 2020 Hamilton City Council meeting
Request for the Immediate Reinstatement of the Suspension of Evictions (Whitehead/Nann)
WHEREAS, there are 6231 households on the Access to Housing Social Housing Waitlist;
WHEREAS, rental housing continues to be under pressure from condominium conversion and reduced new construction;
WHEREAS, the local need for affordable rental housing has grown at a faster pace than supply;
WHEREAS, access to safe, affordable and stable housing is a social determinant of health;
WHEREAS, Bill 184, Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020, was introduced in order to protect vulnerable residents from facing housing instability as a result of the pandemic;
WHEREAS, the end to the eviction freeze may have significant impacts on those individuals most affected from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; and,
WHEREAS, rental housing is an essential form of housing stock the meets the needs of diverse Hamiltonians;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
(a) That Council request the Province of Ontario, through the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to immediately reinstate the suspension of evictions to ensure those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic remain in stable housing; and
(b) That Council request the Province of Ontario, through the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing provide the following, should the suspension of evictions remain lifted:
- provide open data on eviction applications heard before the Landlord and Tenant Board, including the type of notice provided by landlords to tenants, the type of application made by landlords to the Landlord and Tenant Board, the size of the household before the Landlord and Tenant Board and the outcome of the application, including the content of any orders (i.e., evicted, not evicted, ordered to repay arrears, etc.);
- identify tenants in need of housing support services through the eviction process and provide these services for every household that is evicted through the Landlord and Tenant Board, with a goal of timely re-housing;
- provide and fund emergency shelter spaces and related supports in municipalities for households evicted through the Landlord and Tenant Board at no cost to the municipality until proper housing can be provided for those households; and
- invest in the development of affordable rental housing and housing benefits in municipalities, commensurate with population and core housing need, and prioritize access for renters who have been evicted and for those who are paying more than 30 percent of income on rent and may be at risk of being evicted;
(c) That the motion respecting a Request for the Immediate Reinstatement of the Suspension of Evictions be forwarded to Association of Municipalities; local Members of Parliament and Provincial Parliament and all Ontario Municipalities for endorsement.
Result: Main Motion, as Amended, CARRIED by a vote of 11 to 0, as follows:
YES – Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson
YES – Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr
YES – Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann
CONFLICT – Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla
YES – Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins
NOT PRESENT – Ward 6 Councillor Tom Jackson
NOT PRESENT – Ward 7 Councillor Esther Pauls
YES – Ward 8 Councillor John-Paul Danko
YES – Mayor Fred Eisenberger
YES – Ward 15 Councillor Judi Partridge
YES – Ward 14 Councillor Terry Whitehead
CONFLICT – Ward 13 Councillor Arlene VanderBeek
YES – Ward 12 Councillor Lloyd Ferguson
YES – Ward 11 Councillor Brenda Johnson
CONFLICT – Deputy Mayor – Ward 10 Councillor Maria Pearson
YES – Ward 9 Councillor Brad Clark