Staff to draft a complaint-based vacant home tax by-law for Council approval, with a vacant home tax rate of four per cent, subject to the inclusion of $275,000 in estimated expenditures and estimated program revenues (based on a four per cent tax rate), in…

46:29and I'm really excited about today.

46:31We're going to be doing some really amazing policy work here in the City of Guelph

46:36and we have a number of delegations as we head into the agenda.

46:40I'll just do, there's going to be a presentation

46:44by our Manager of Community and Affordable Housing,

46:48and then we'll call on the delegations after that.

46:50So I'll call Cusla Mathews for a presentation.

47:21Great.

47:22Good afternoon, Chair Ciarán, members of Council,

47:25Mayor Guthrie, and members of the community who are joining us here today.

47:31I am here with my colleagues from Finance, Licensing and By-Law,

47:34and the Community and Affordable Housing teams

47:37who are all involved in drafting this report,

47:39which provides an update on Action 2.1.1

47:43of the Housing Affordability Strategy.

47:46More specifically, in December 2024,

47:49when the 10-year Housing Affordability Strategy was approved by Council,

47:53there was direction to, quote,

47:55collect, monitor, and use data on existing affordable housing stock

48:01to guide policy development as it relates to a renovation by-law,

48:06a vacant home tax, or rental replacement by-law, end quote.

48:11Initially, the timeline to complete this task

48:14was presented as a three- to five-year timeline.

48:18However, Council signaled a unanimous desire

48:21to prioritize this action to be completed

48:23within a zero- to three-year timeline, so from 2025 to 2028.

48:30As we are not yet out of the first year of implementation

48:33of the Housing Affordability Strategy,

48:36this report presents the collection of data thus far

48:40on both the renovation and vacant home tax landscapes,

48:44each with recommendations.

48:46So I'll be providing a summary of how staff came to a recommendation

48:50on the renovation piece, sorry, and then turn it over to Ms. Gatto from Finance

48:55who will provide a summary of the vacant home tax.

49:03So we understand that the experience of being evicted

49:09for any number of reasons is highly distressing,

49:12emotionally draining, financially devastating,

49:16and creates ongoing feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability.

49:21One reason for being evicted is through what is termed a renovation,

49:26which is a tactic often employed by landlords acting in bad faith

49:29by using a legal notice, which is called an N13,

49:33to end tenancy for the purpose of demolishing, repairing, or converting a unit.

49:40Following the completion of this renovation work,

49:42the unit is relisted on the market for a significantly higher price,

49:46and tenants are forced to move due to the financial strain.

49:51In order to collect data on this issue, staff first looked to the extensive amount of material

49:56that was gathered through the engagement on the Housing Affordability Strategy,

50:00both from feedback given by tenants and by landlords.

50:04And as you heard in December when this work was being presented,

50:08the reason that Action 2.1.1 was included in the strategy

50:14is because it was a concern to many members of this community.

50:19In addition to the information on the from the strategy engagement,

50:23staff also reached out to tenant support agencies,

50:26such as the legal clinic of Guelph and Wellington County,

50:30the Advocacy Center for Tenants Ontario,

50:32the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now,

50:37and the Guelph and Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination.

50:43Data from both the landlord-tenant board and the legal clinic was also obtained,

50:48as it relates to both N13 and N12 notices.

50:52And N12 notices are those which are issued by landlords who wish to evict tenants

50:56for the purposes of having family members move into the vacated unit.

51:01A renovation bylaw would not apply to N12 notices.

51:07What I'd like to point out regarding the data is that this is the first time

51:10city staff have received numbers on N13s from the landlord-tenant board or LTB.

51:16We put in a request in October of 2024, followed up several times over email for follow-up.

51:23When we were not receiving a response, we went with our legal team to

51:27file an FOI request and the data was shared with us in July of this year.

51:32Engagement and analysis from the tenant's perspective and landlord's perspective identified

51:37several issues. The first that was identified through engagement is that the number of N13

51:43notices has steadily increased. Data shows this, there's no doubt.

51:49But what is really challenging to determine, because the data does not exist on this,

51:53is how many of these notices have actually translated into renovictions,

51:59making it unclear how many individuals and or households are being affected and consequently,

52:06how many renters a renovation bylaw may be able to support.

52:10The slack of clarity is further obscured because N13 notices are not only for renovations

52:16and situations, but also capture demolitions, which is where a rental replacement bylaw

52:23would be most effective. The second issue that was highlighted through engagement

52:30was that an increase in municipal oversight can help protect tenants from landlords acting in

52:35bad faith. So as explained in this report, the province, through various pieces of legislation,

52:42maintain primary responsibility as it relates to the rights of both landlords and tenants.

52:49The Residential Tendencies Act, or the RTA, for example,

52:52offers protections and compensation to tenants and permits

52:56tenant to return to the unit following renovations at the same rent as would have been permitted

53:02prior to renovations, assuming that the tenant provides written confirmation within a certain

53:08time period. Leveraging the expertise of others working within this space, as well as intensifying

53:15our own educational efforts to assist tenants in understanding their existing rights and working

53:20with landlords to understand and uphold their responsibilities, is one path the city can take.

53:28We also heard that stronger provincial legislation is required. Also noted in this report is

53:34referenced to Bill 97, which is helping home buyers protecting tenants act, and this identifies

53:40strengthening regulations around the termination of tenancy agreements for renovation purposes

53:46and or bad faith evictions. While this act identifies provisions that would essentially

53:52overlap with any future municipal renovation bylaw, these provisions have yet to be proclaimed,

53:58and there are continuing advocacy efforts to bring this law into effect.

54:05We also heard that a renovation bylaw in combination with a rental replacement bylaw

54:09is most effective. During our municipal scan of those municipalities that either have a

54:15renovation bylaw or in the process of implementing one, all but one of these municipalities had

54:21an existing rental replacement bylaw in place. A rental replacement bylaw is authorized under a

54:28specific section of the municipal act, and it gives the local municipality the ability to

54:34create a permit process. So not a licensing process, but a permit process tied to the planning act.

54:40So if someone applied for a demolition permit, for example, that would result in either a

54:45demolition or conversion of six or more rental units. The applicant is required to replace

54:51those rental units at the same rental rates, and this is entered into through a legal agreement,

54:58and these legal agreements are registered on title to ensure the process is followed. So there's a

55:03bit more teeth with a rental replacement bylaw than there is with a renovation bylaw. So in terms

55:15of what a rent a renovation bylaw can do, much of it, because it ultimately must comply and be

55:22complementary to existing provincial legislation, can be considered its oversight to already existing

55:28rights such as requiring landlords to comply with the RTA to ensure that displaced tenants have first

55:36right to move back into renovated units at previously or same determined rental rates,

55:43require that tenants are informed of their legal rights under the RTA,

55:48ensure financial compensation and alternate alternative accommodations are provided as

55:53renovations are underway also as provided for in the RTA, impose fines on landlords upwards of $100,000,

56:02and require landlords to obtain proper documentation and approvals from the city,

56:07so through a building permit to complete the proposed renovations. A renovation bylaw does not

56:16assist displaced tenants with securing new affordable units. It does not stop cash for

56:21keys deals, and it cannot stop landlords from issuing notices for legitimate renovation work.

56:28So this report and the recommendations on the screen speak to options for action in a space where

56:38the city is putting focused efforts on strategically preserving and creating affordable housing units

56:45as evidenced by the vacant home tax recommendation and the following report this afternoon on

56:51advancing affordable housing on city old lands. The first recommendation laces purposeful and

56:59continued focus on advocacy to the province who are the primary agents of change for change in this

57:06space. We recognize that the most recent proposed amendments through bill 60, the fighting delays

57:13building faster act is creating an even more uncertain and turbulent legislative atmosphere,

57:20which from staff's perspective is further justification to provide more time to fully

57:25understand how potential additional legislative changes will affect the space.

57:32The second recommendation is to continue to complete action 2.1.1 of the affordable of the

57:38housing affordability strategy still well within the timeline that was prioritized by council

57:44and returned to council in Q1 of 2027 with further updates and recommendations on both the

57:52renovation bylaw and rental replacement bylaw. As we've researched and as I've mentioned the

57:57majority of other municipalities that have a renovation bylaw also have a rental replacement

58:03bylaw in place which increases the potential to preserve existing affordable housing stock.

58:10Staff's recommendation reflects an assessment of the data we have before us to date. However,

58:17we also understand there may be some questions around how much introducing a bylaw may cost

58:23and what may need to come off the existing work plan in order to do so. This is why an

58:28alternate motion for recommendation number two is provided in the body of the report that speaks

58:33to directing staff to begin development of a framework for a renovation bylaw subject to the

58:38inclusion of estimated budget expenditures in the 2026 budget update. I'd now like to

58:45invite Lisa Gatto to provide more information on the vacant home tax.

59:02Thank you, Koshla. The intent of the vacant home tax is to change property owner's behavior and to

59:11increase housing supply by creating an incentive for property owners to sell unoccupied homes

59:17or make them available to be rented. I want to highlight some of the key components of the vacant

59:23home tax. The tax would apply only to residential properties unoccupied for more than 183 days in

59:32a tax year. In alignment with the provincial policy framework, several exemptions would imply,

59:39including but not limited to, units vacant due to property owners in hospital or long-term care,

59:48units currently under construction or renovations, properties that changed ownership during the year

59:55and multi-residential properties with more than six units. Following discussions with

1:00:05municipalities that have already implemented a vacant home tax, staff are recommending that the

1:00:11program be designed as a complaint-based or a community-driven process. Under this model,

1:00:18property owners would not be required to submit a mandatory declaration of occupancy status.

1:00:24Instead, only properties suspected of being unoccupied would be required to complete a declaration.

1:00:32A mandatory declaration approach was considered, however, it would significantly increase administrative

1:00:38burden and associated costs, making it less efficient and more resource intensive.

1:00:45Conservative estimates show approximately 50 properties that currently appear to be vacant

1:00:51after exemptions have been considered. The table outlines the revenues and costs at a 1% vacant

1:00:59home tax, 2% and a 3% vacant home tax. The 2% vacant home tax shows as a break-even scenario.

1:01:07Access revenue would be allocated to the Affordable Housing Reserve. Our recommendation

1:01:13is that staff be directed to draft a complaint-based vacant home tax bylaw at the 2% tax rate,

1:01:28including $275,000 in estimated expenditures and estimated program revenues in the 2026 budget update.

1:01:37I'll now pass it back to Kushla to conclude. So, to wrap up, we wanted to provide a brief update on

1:01:55the Affordable Housing Seed Funding Program. This program was approved by Council sorry in

1:02:01March of this year and launched in May. The total amount in the Seed Funding Program is $100,000,

1:02:07which is from the Affordable Housing Reserve. So, the purpose of the Seed Funding Program is to

1:02:12provide up to $25,000 per project to support the pre-development costs of nonprofits interested

1:02:19in building housing or affordable housing. To date, two proponents, thresholds and upbuilding,

1:02:26have each received $25,000 to build a total of 31 units. A third proponent, Kindle Communities,

1:02:33will be also receiving $25,000 to support the creation of 12 units potentially. So, thank you

1:02:40very much for listening today and turn it back over to you. Thanks. Great. Thank you, Ms. Matthews,

1:02:45and Ms. Gatto. Excellent presentation and some great policy work. We will open it up to Council for

1:02:52questions of clarity. I'd like to get to the delegations, but if we have questions of staff

1:02:57about the presentation, we have Mayor Guthrie and Councillor Gibson. Anyone else? Mayor Guthrie,

1:03:03over to you. Oh, thank you, Madam Chair. And my apologies are for caught about the delegations,

1:03:08and I don't mean that meanly. I think maybe we should just go to the delegations. But,

1:03:14Chair, I was wondering if it's up to you, of course, but when we get back after the delegations,

1:03:20I'm wondering if maybe we could frame the conversation under each category instead of us

1:03:25bouncing back and forth between vacancy questions and renovation questions, and maybe we can just

1:03:30go one topic at a time. It might help. It helped me anyways, so I'll leave that with you. Thank you,

1:03:36Madam Chair. Yes, thank you, Mayor Guthrie. That was my intent. I think that would help to

1:03:41guide and focus the discussion. So unless Councillor Gibson or Councillor Claasen have

1:03:47specific clarity questions about the presentation, how about we go to delegations?

1:03:52I'll be very brief, I promise, Chair. The 3% in your slide, 50 homes generating $450,000

1:04:00worth of revenue through your Chair to staff, the presentation, if you don't mind. I just

1:04:06clarifying, in my math, that's about $9,000 of additional taxation per unit on average.

1:04:17Where is the 3% on, is the 3% of their tax rate or 3% of their home value? Can you just clarify that?

1:04:27Through you, Chair Caron, to Councillor Gibson. It's 3% of the assessed value of the property,

1:04:34and it's estimated of those potential 50 properties, the average assessed value would be $300,000.

1:04:41So your math is correct, $300,000, 3% is $9,000. So we're taxing the assessed value of the home at

1:04:493%, which is significant. Okay, thanks. I'll take, I'll take a side and I'll wait for my questions.

1:04:57And I did have, Councillor Claasen, any additional questions? I'll hold my questions

1:05:02until I get the delegations. Thank you. Great, thank you. We'll move to delegations, and I know

1:05:06it often raises a lot of new questions for staff, so we will reopen questions prior to putting the

1:05:12motions on the floor. We have nine delegations this afternoon, and I'll just do a general

1:05:19announcement that every delegation will have three minutes. You will have five minutes, and

1:05:24you'll hear a note at 30 seconds, and the mic will be cut off at the maximum. So

1:05:32I know that many of you have been here before and know how to time appropriately. So we'll

1:05:38start off with our first delegation. Susan Watson, welcome. Thank you. Chair Coron and members of

1:05:44Council, we are in the midst of a homelessness and affordability crisis. Although the encampment

1:05:51has been removed from St. George's Square, you only have to go for a stroll along the river to see

1:05:56that there are many wealth citizens still living in tents, and winter is coming. The current problem

1:06:03is multifactorial and has been brewing for at least 30 years since higher levels of government

1:06:08abdicated their responsibility for housing. Delegating this responsibility to the private

1:06:14sector was like putting the fox in charge of the hen house, and the crisis is now worse than ever.

1:06:20City Council has limited options, so it is incumbent upon you to meaningfully activate

1:06:26every tool at your disposal. I'm pleased to see in another agenda item that Council is moving

1:06:32to facilitate construction of affordable housing on city-owned land. It's imperative that both

1:06:38city land and the housing built with public money remains in public hands, because the private

1:06:44marketplace itself is a key driver of unaffordability. But there are a couple of other tools at your

1:06:52disposal, and as you heard in the presentation, one is the renovation bylaw. If you're trying to

1:06:57fill the bathtub by building affordable housing, then you need to plug the drain at the same time

1:07:03by implementing a renovation bylaw. And as again, as you heard, it isn't about preventing legitimate

1:07:10upgrades to rental properties. It's about protecting vulnerable tenants from predatory landlords who

1:07:16are acting in bad faith. And I've also come to understand that it isn't just the individual

1:07:22tenant who is negatively impacted by a renovation. It's the whole community as existing rental stock

1:07:30skyrockets in price. There's no rocket science with a renovation bylaw. Other communities are

1:07:36already using them successfully. You really just need to cut and paste from their documents and

1:07:41then implement the program. And I would point out that staff was able to draft a public space

1:07:47use bylaw in a matter of weeks. The main impediment that seems to be put forward by staff is that

1:07:54implement implementing a renovation bylaw will require money that we don't currently have.

1:07:59But there's an elegant solution right in front of you. The vacant home tax is an opportunity

1:08:06not just to incentivize vacant housing coming back into the market, but to raise revenue for

1:08:12housing initiatives as many other municipalities are already doing. Revenue generated from a vacant

1:08:18home's tax can be used to cover the cost of implementing a renovation bylaw. But there are

1:08:25two key changes that need to happen for the VHT to have meaningful impact. First, the rate needs to

1:08:31raise to 4% as other municipalities have done. We're not talking about principal residences here.

1:08:39And there's a list of exemptions that you can tinker with to make sure that people of good will

1:08:44are not inadvertently being penalized. But an individual or a developer who can afford to simply

1:08:51leave an investment property vacant for years can afford to pay a 4% annual tax if they choose not

1:08:59to sell or rent the property. The other change required is that the VHT needs to have mandatory

1:09:06reporting. The City of Hamilton found that there were actually three times the number of vacant

1:09:11homes than what they had initially projected. And as a result, they are also on track to generate

1:09:17almost three times the revenue beyond what they had predicted. One thing that is missing from the

1:09:23staff report is any discussion around the savings on taxes and fees for the average

1:09:29Guelph citizen. And I'm sure councillor, sorry, I've just gapped. I'm sure some of the fiscally

1:09:38motivated councillors will be happy to hear this. As you've heard me point out many times before,

1:09:44when a new build happens in a green field, development charges don't cover the full cost of

1:09:50infrastructure. That means Guelph citizens are subsidizing the cost of one detached house by

1:09:56almost $25,000 for one house. And that comes out of our taxes and our water and wastewater fees.

1:10:04So in that scenario, you just have to bring 10 existing houses back onto the market for a savings

1:10:10of $250,000. If the house is, quote, affordable or attainable, then citizens are picking up the

1:10:19full tab at almost $100,000 per house. So again, just with 10 houses that already exist, you've

1:10:26saved a million dollars. This needs to be a metric that you use to measure the success.

1:10:32Please use all the tools at your disposal and implement both the VHT and the renovation bylaw

1:10:38in 2026. Thank you. Thanks. Right on the mark. Any questions of our delegation?

1:10:49Thank you. We have Stephanie Klendening. Welcome, Stephanie.

1:11:05Good afternoon, Council. My name is Stephanie Klendening and I am a lawyer as well as the

1:11:09Executive Director of the Legal Clinic of Guelph and Wellington County. Our clinic serves low-income

1:11:15people dealing with poverty law issues, including housing, and we are often the first place that

1:11:19residents turn to if they receive an eviction notice. This provides us with a unique vantage

1:11:23point on both the legal and the community impact of renovictions. Sometimes it can be difficult to

1:11:29appreciate the scope of a problem when you're not in the trenches with it every day. Recommendations

1:11:34such as the one here to take a wait-and-see approach may seem measured and even reasonable.

1:11:39I'm here to tell you that in this case, they are not. I'm here to sound the alarm. When it comes

1:11:45to bad faith renovictions in this city, our house is on fire. We are losing our affordable housing

1:11:51supply at a rate far faster than we can replenish it, and once it's gone, it's gone forever.

1:11:57Should the provincial government step in? Absolutely, but the Ford government isn't going to do it.

1:12:02Bill 97 doesn't contain the oversight required to be effective, and even if it did, it received

1:12:07rural ascent nearly two and a half years ago, and the renovation provisions have yet to be proclaimed.

1:12:13Meanwhile, if Bill 60 has shown us anything, it's that the provincial government's stance on

1:12:16tenant rights is bleaker than ever. We need the help of municipalities, and we need it now.

1:12:22This is why Toronto, Hamilton, and London stepped up and said we can't afford to wait.

1:12:26The time for action is now while we still have the housing stock to protect. This is why Waterloo

1:12:31and Kitchener followed suit, and this is why Guelph should too. So let's address the staff report.

1:12:37The report advocates for deferral in order to collect more data and monitor the implementation

1:12:42of other municipal bylaws. Staff acknowledges that while the existing data shows a significant

1:12:47increase in N13s, no data was collected on how many of these translated into a renovation.

1:12:52They conclude that without clear evidence on how many households are affected,

1:12:56we cannot estimate how many renters a bylaw might support. Collecting data to show how many N13s

1:13:02resulted in a renovation would not even begin to capture the reality of how many people are affected.

1:13:09This is because most bad faith renovictions happen behind the scenes. They happen through

1:13:14pressure tactics and coerced settlements. They happen through battles of attrition and ongoing

1:13:19campaigns of harassment. Many cases never get to the LTB as tenants can see before an application

1:13:25is ever filed. Other cases don't result in a renovation because the tenant receives legal

1:13:30support, but they still endure years of stress and uncertainty. The answer to how many renters

1:13:34this bylaw would support has no relation to how many tenants were successfully renovicted.

1:13:39The answer is it would support every renter that even received the threat of an N13,

1:13:45which is precisely what the currently available data shows you. Secondly, the report claims that

1:13:50a rent eviction bylaw would not be able to stop all bad faith evictions as cash for keys deals

1:13:55will still be worked out. What this overlooks is the underlying reason why most cash for keys deals

1:14:00are being entered into into the first place. It is because tenants feel like they have no choice.

1:14:05The RTA framework currently does not provide sufficient protections for tenants to confidently

1:14:10challenge a bad faith renovation. Given such a grim outlook, tenants give up and take whatever

1:14:15cash is on the table. But if you change the rules of the game, we can level this playing field.

1:14:21Municipal oversight would address the despair and hopelessness that typically accompanies

1:14:25receiving an N13, meaning expletive cash for keys deals would be fewer and further between.

1:14:31The report also highlights the perspective of landlords. One of the issues raised is that

1:14:35increased regulations around renovations may undermine other housing programs whose purpose

1:14:39it is to increase housing stock. The example provided is an eviction due to renovations,

1:14:44which would increase the overall housing supply, such as converting a one unit into a two or more

1:14:49unit. This suggestion is extremely unlikely from a legal standpoint. Under the RTA, an eviction

1:14:55due to extensive renovations provides the tenant with an automatic right of first refusal to return

1:15:00at the same rental rate. As a result, an eviction due to an renovation that changes the configuration

1:15:06of the unit, that means the number of actual bedrooms in the unit, would not even be possible.

1:15:12Because you could not be afforded the right to return to a unit that no longer exists,

1:15:15a landlord would instead need to apply for eviction on the basis of demolition,

1:15:20meaning a renovation bylaw would have no effect on this whatsoever.

1:15:24I'm running out of time here, so I'm going to move forward a little bit. I could go through this

1:15:29report at length, and we can go through each one of the landlord's points, and we could go through

1:15:33all of the different recommendations that were made. But I'm going to just wrap up and just remind

1:15:38you of the actual numbers and what's at stake here. Well, friends have increased by 7.9% in 2023

1:15:44and another 3.3% in 2024. At our legal clinic alone, we saw a 245% increase in N13s since 2020,

1:15:55and we are on track to see over 280 units housing more than 500 residents receive an N13 this year

1:16:02alone. Under the current legislative framework, many of those will lose their homes and be unable

1:16:07to re-enter the rental market in Guelph. If you defer this to 2027. Thanks. Thank you, Ms. Glendening.

1:16:21Great to have that empirical information as part of your presentation. So thank you. Any

1:16:26questions for the delegation? Councillor Bustel? Yes, thank you very much, Stephanie, for the

1:16:33presentation. I just had a quick question. I didn't hear any reference to the rental replacement by

1:16:39law, and I read through the report quite consistently. I think about one references from tenants and

1:16:46from, you know, and so on that you really need both. Can you comment very briefly on that?

1:16:52I would agree with you that you absolutely do need both. I think that a bylaw without the

1:16:59rental replacement lacks the enforcement. It lacks the teeth, so to speak. I think that if you look

1:17:06at Hamilton and Toronto, those are really the gold standard to follow because implementing that

1:17:12requirement really is the strongest deterrent of them all. And if you look at Hamilton and if you

1:17:17look at Toronto and we look at the number of applications that have followed since the implementation

1:17:21of those bylaws, I mean, the numbers are almost zero. We have Councillor Allt followed by Councillor

1:17:29Katelyn. Thank you very much, Chair Caron. Through you to the delegate, Ms. Glendening.

1:17:37Ms. Glendening, I have a number of questions, actually, but I want to start off with one that

1:17:42is numeric. You'd mentioned a number of numbers, and I just want to clarify. How many rent

1:17:48eviction cases does legal aid in Guelph handle per year or on a cycle, whatever that cycle might be?

1:17:59Thank you for the question. I mean, it's a little bit complicated to answer

1:18:03because in terms of how many we handle, the answer differs based on whether or not we are

1:18:07handling them through a summary advice perspective or full representation. So I'll give you the

1:18:12numbers based on how many come through our doors and we assist them in some capacity.

1:18:16What degree of that capacity? I mean, that's going to fluctuate based on the resources and

1:18:20you know, what we can essentially offer at any given time. This year, and I think that data

1:18:26might actually be in the staff report because I did share it with city staff. So this year,

1:18:31as of July, we counted, we were at 143 and 13 cases that had come through our doors. So we were on

1:18:38track to get to 280 plus this year alone. 2024, we were at 217. That was an increase of 161%.

1:18:47And then you can kind of go through the chart and I think it's actually in the staff report. So

1:18:50those would be cases that came through our doors that the legal clinic assisted in some capacity.

1:18:54And I also think it's important to highlight that that is the tip of the iceberg. That is the bare

1:18:58minimum of cases that people actually reached out and connected with us and sought out that

1:19:03assistance. The majority of clients do not come to the legal clinic for support because of the

1:19:08nature of the current legislative framework is that it deters clients from trying to fight back.

1:19:13Brandt Avenue will be a great example of how many units were actually impacted and how many we

1:19:18represented. And I can give you those numbers if you're interested. Actually, yes, I am because

1:19:25what you're telling me is the tip of the iceberg is very important. Are you able to estimate what

1:19:32percentage of renovations have come through your door? That's an important number for me

1:19:40because of those that just give up as well.

1:19:44I mean, it would be completely anecdotal for me to try and I think take that estimate because

1:19:48those are obviously cases that I didn't have any connection with. So I don't feel

1:19:52confident enough to put an actual number to you, counselor. But I can tell you that at Brandt Avenue,

1:19:56for example, we had three buildings, 15 units per building. So you had 45 units in total.

1:20:02We represented 17 of those units. And the remainder or the vast remainder of those left

1:20:12in one way or another, whether that was taking cash for keys, being pushed out,

1:20:18or there was a variety of different ways. And I think we have another delegate here today who

1:20:21will speak to you a little bit more about that. Okay, thank you. You've made reference to Hamilton

1:20:26as the gold standard. I was wondering if you could explain why you consider that to be the

1:20:30gold standard and what it is about Hamilton you might suggest wealth emulate. So Hamilton or Toronto,

1:20:39I think they're both very, very evenly matched in terms of being the gold standard. If you look at

1:20:45the criteria that's been added to the Hamilton renovation bylaw, the landlord needs to apply

1:20:50for a license within seven days of issuing the M13. So what that's immediately creating is oversight.

1:20:56So currently, the landlord does not need to do that. They give them the M13 and so a vulnerable

1:21:00tenant is going to typically feel like they have no choice but to then enter into some kind of deal.

1:21:05Now you've engaged a third party, somebody with, you know, some position of authority

1:21:09who's going to get involved and they're going to be overseeing this process.

1:21:13In addition to the oversight or the registration with the license with the licensing essentially

1:21:18through the Hamilton bylaw department, they need to then submit an attestation. And this is only

1:21:24in cases of course, where a tenant is exercising the right of first refusal. If the tenant is not

1:21:28intending on return and wants to leave, then we don't have an issue here. But if a tenant says,

1:21:32yes, I intend on coming back, well, now they need to submit an attestation to bylaw,

1:21:36which is going to outline their plan. And that plan is either going to be that there's going to be

1:21:40a rent gap payment that's being made to cover the differential in the terms of the time that

1:21:44they'll be out of the unit, or it's going to maybe offer them an alternate unit to live in in that

1:21:48time period. So that is incredibly important. The other big component of all the bylaws,

1:21:57not just the Hamilton one, is that there is a requirement that when you file for this license,

1:22:02you need to provide an expert report that says that you need to vacant possession essentially,

1:22:08that the work is so substantial that you need vacant possession in order to execute it. And

1:22:13that's currently one of the big pieces that's missing under the RTA. And the reason why so many

1:22:18applications for rent eviction do get granted, because the landlord can say, and you can look

1:22:22at Brant Avenue actually, which is a great example. So the landlord said in that case,

1:22:26that we needed to remove a non load bearing wall between the kitchens and the living rooms.

1:22:31So essentially make it open concept, update the cabinets. And I believe there was some retrofitting

1:22:35of maybe a pipe or two. On average, the clients who did leave or the tenants, I should say that did

1:22:41leave, it took because we saw how long it took the contractors to come in and do the work because

1:22:46the work was done. It took on average four to five business days. In the end 13, it said that the

1:22:51work was so extensive that it would take six to nine months to complete. And so you can see these

1:22:56grossly inflated timelines and who are we going to call upon to challenge that. And currently the

1:23:01onus is on the tenant to essentially engage an expert. So I mean, they don't have the funds

1:23:07to hire an architectural engineer, whoever it might be to come into the board and actually

1:23:12challenge that suggestion. And the board members aren't qualified either. So that's another piece

1:23:17of the Hamilton bylaw and all the bylaws that's extremely important. And without it, I don't

1:23:21know that, you know, I see another way forward. Thank you. You made reference to Bill 97 and Bill

1:23:2760 as not being effective in addressing tenants concerns with regards to renovations and

1:23:35and some of the other concerns. Why not in your professional opinion? Why are these not effective?

1:23:42So Bill 97, I mean, other than not having the oversight, the municipal protection layer, right?

1:23:47That's actually having someone look in and actually monitor the situation and make sure that

1:23:51those rights of first refusal are being honored. The onus is on the tenants in those cases to

1:23:56monitor the former units as it currently is. They have to be the one to gather any evidence of bad

1:24:01faith and they have to be the one to initiate any legal action. Most of the tenants who are being

1:24:06impacted by this do not have the resources to do this, especially after being displaced from their

1:24:11homes. Actually, I think that's fairly important when you say they don't have the resources.

1:24:17I'm trying to read between the lines by what you mean by that. Is this a cost issue? Is it a

1:24:24capacity issue? What are some of the challenges that tenants have that they're not able to address?

1:24:31All of the above. So financial resources, absolutely. Our Legal Aid Clinic is funded to

1:24:37provide free legal services to people who qualify financially. That threshold is extraordinarily low.

1:24:43We are talking about mostly people on social assistance and your other comment in terms of

1:24:47capacity, that is another big piece. If you are somebody who is being displaced from your home

1:24:52and maybe sleeping on a sofa or in a shelter, you do not have the ability to turn your mind to

1:24:58becoming an investigator and going back and saying, I'm going to keep an eye on this and I'm

1:25:02going to file the application. And yes, you can do that and you might be successful. And if you

1:25:07did get to the board and you filed a bad faith application, you might even win it. By the time

1:25:11you got your hearing, it wouldn't matter because the unit would already be rented out to another

1:25:17person and the board, their hands are tied in a scenario like that because even if they agree

1:25:22with you that what has happened is wrong, all they can give you is compensation. They can't

1:25:26give you very much compensation under the current legislation and they can't give you the unit back

1:25:31because in order to do that, they would have to displace the current renter. So landlords, of

1:25:35course, what they're doing in those situations is they're saying, I'll take the hit because the

1:25:39hit financially from whatever the landlord and tenant board is going to impose on them,

1:25:44it doesn't even come close to the amount that they're gaining by re-renting the unit at current

1:25:48market values because of how inflated they are currently. And I'm going to follow up on that

1:25:53and then I have one last question, Madam Chair, that I'll get to. But you made reference to the

1:25:58reality of rent eviction is that there's harassment and surrender. Are you able to cite some examples

1:26:04of the harassment and the surrender that are more egregious that you've, that has walked through

1:26:09the door of the legal aid clinic? Sure. I mean, how much time do you have? I could tell you stories

1:26:13all day. I mean, just one would be sufficient. Yeah. Brandt Avenue is a great example. I mean,

1:26:18they start to take away services. So the first thing that happened was the lockers were removed.

1:26:22So people who previously had access to lockers no longer had those. Other cases, we had a vulnerable

1:26:28senior who somebody came to their door and they basically said, if you don't sign this, you're

1:26:33going to lose the place anyway. So you may as well take this $3,000 and sign it on the place.

1:26:37He expressed that, you know, English wasn't his first language that he didn't understand what was

1:26:41happening. And they said, don't worry. You're, if you sign this, we're going to be fine. And of

1:26:45course they signed these agreements under those types of circumstances, usually two people at your

1:26:49door and saying, we're not going to kind of leave until we can come to an agreement here.

1:26:54And last question for you. Staff has made a recommendation that we reconsider this in February

1:27:012027. In your opinion, is that a reasonable timeline or would you suggest some other time?

1:27:08I don't think that timeline is reasonable at all. Like I said, at the end of my delegation,

1:27:12I think that we'll have lost potentially another three to 400. I can't even put a number on it.

1:27:18But I mean, the amount of people that would be impacted when we look at, you know, cost benefit,

1:27:22I mean, there's the cost of the program versus the cost to our housing supply.

1:27:26I think that the work has already been done by Hamilton and by Toronto. I don't think that we

1:27:32need to reinvent the wheel here. And I don't think that that timeline is proportionate given what

1:27:36we're, you know, what we stand to lose. Thank you very much. Thank you, Councillor Alton. Again,

1:27:42thank you for your expertise in this area. I have Councillor Caton. I believe I saw Mayor

1:27:46Guthrie's hand go up as well. And Councillor Klassen. So Councillor Caton.

1:27:52Thank you. Through you, Madam Chair, to the delegate. Thank you for coming. I appreciate

1:27:57your vast knowledge on this. I've noticed that the legal clinic has started offering

1:28:05help over at Grange Road neighbourhood group. And I noticed that two of the major buildings

1:28:09were in Ward 1, which is my ward. And I was wondering if you could speak to, like, is this

1:28:15mostly Ward 1 problem? Is it spread throughout the city? Which parts of Guelphs are more highly

1:28:24affected? Honestly, we are seeing it spread out. I do think that the buildings is more relevant than

1:28:32the Ward. So it's a specific type of building that is usually very vulnerable. So usually,

1:28:35you're looking at buildings that have been constructed in the 1950s or earlier, buildings

1:28:41that might have sitting tenants of 10 or more years, because the landlord will, of course,

1:28:46be selling off those at fire sale prices. And then the new owners kind of step in and want to

1:28:52engage in this process so that they can jack up the rents. So I think it's spread across the city.

1:28:56I can't say, I mean, yes, you're right, Councillor Caton, that I think that Ward 1 has been maybe

1:29:00disproportionately impacted in the last year, that's for sure. But if I were to pull our data,

1:29:05I feel pretty confident that we've seen it spread across the city. So I think it impacts all of us.

1:29:12Thank you very much. Mayor Guthrie, over to you.

1:29:17Thank you, Chair, and through you to the delegate. Thank you for coming. Just a couple of follow-up

1:29:24questions. You had mentioned that you have received many clients coming into you to discuss the N-13s.

1:29:34I'm just wondering if you had any breakdown, though, as our staff indicated,

1:29:39the difference between the N-13 for a rent eviction versus the N-13 for like a family

1:29:46taking over a unit. Did you ever gather any of that data?

1:29:51I don't have it on hand, but we do have that data in our system. So we certainly could pull it.

1:29:56I believe that I did provide it actually to Anthony Dolcetti, who was initially working on the report

1:30:02several months ago. So it has been provided to city staff. I can tell you anecdotally that

1:30:11we used to see more N-12s. And N-12 is what you're referring to, Mayor Guthrie, and that's

1:30:16the landlord's own use. So landlord's own use or purchaser's own use. We did historically see

1:30:22mostly those types of no fault-based evictions. So just a little context is that in Ontario to

1:30:27evict somebody, you have to have grounds because of security of tenure provisions. So we've got no

1:30:31fault-based grounds, fault-based grounds. If the tenant is not doing anything wrong, you have to kind

1:30:36of try and squeeze it through the no fault stream. That's an N-12, landlord's own use, or N-13, which

1:30:41is what we're talking about. So now we've seen the shift to N-13s. And I can tell you that in my

1:30:46opinion, the reason we're seeing such a big shift is because the RTA in its current form does not

1:30:52allow a corporation to issue an N-12. So if you are a corporate landlord, you can't do the N-12 stream.

1:30:59Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Thank you. That's a good call. I appreciate that for setting some clarity on that.

1:31:07And then the last thing through you, Chair, is I just want to make sure I wrote down here

1:31:13in one of your answers to Councillor Allt's questions, which I appreciated. You started to say,

1:31:21and I believe it was the question that Councillor Allt said about waiting until 2027 and whether

1:31:26you thought there was some reasonableness behind that. And in your response to Councillor Allt,

1:31:31you said, I don't think we should do that and give some reasons. But in that answer, you said,

1:31:37we are on track to maybe lose three to 400, in other words, if we don't take action.

1:31:44That just seems like so high to me and concerning. And I'm just wondering, can you quantify that?

1:31:51Because when I'm seeing, were you talking three to 400 units in a year? Or were you talking about

1:31:58family members and individuals dispersed? Both are concerning. Don't get me wrong. I'm just

1:32:05trying to make sure I get the right answer when you said three to 400. So I mean, ballpark figures,

1:32:12but where my estimate is coming from is based on our current data. So right now, as I said earlier,

1:32:182025, we currently had 143 rental units impacted by an N13. And that was only six months into 2025.

1:32:26We are seeing every year that there is a significant jump. So let's say that there is no jump

1:32:30at all for the rest of 2025. Let's say, let's just underestimate here. And let's just say we

1:32:35stay on track for the exact same amount. By the end of 2025, you'd be at 286 rental units impacted

1:32:40by an N13. I ballpark, you know, just from my own experience that maybe half of those might be

1:32:46occupied by a single person. Others might be occupied by three to families of three to four.

1:32:50So I ballpark that out. And then in terms of the loss versus how many people receive the N13,

1:32:55that's very difficult to quantify. But I can tell you that with the current legislative framework,

1:33:00we typically see more than I would say, honestly, at least 75% of people will typically give up and

1:33:06concede rather than stay in fight. So that's where I'm ballparking those numbers from.

1:33:10All right. Thank you. Madam Chair, I'm sorry, I have one follow up and then I promise everybody

1:33:14I'm done. I just am curious. I'm curious on the kind of wearing people out to a point of exhaustion

1:33:21where then they are impacted. Do you find that the clients that are coming in and seeking advice

1:33:27from you and your staff are coming in at the front end mostly or are they at the sort of the tail

1:33:34end of exhaustion? And I'm just trying to understand from an educational point of view and trying to

1:33:39inform people better about their rights. Are you finding them walking through your door kind of,

1:33:48you know, the day after they receive an N13? Or are you finding them sort of at the end where

1:33:53there's more problems and more hurdles to go over because it's been two months, three months of them

1:33:59trying to go at it on their own? That's an excellent question. So thank you for that, Mayor Guthrie.

1:34:04We are, I would say disproportionately seeing people come in at the end of the process. So

1:34:11it's crisis. It's when, you know, it's very difficult for us to get involved and do anything.

1:34:15Of course, we're trying to do more upstream work in terms of education and informing people in the

1:34:19community that they do have options, but sometimes it's a tough sell and you can go out there and

1:34:23you can talk to people and do all the public legal education you want and explain that you have rights,

1:34:28you don't have to leave, but we're not living that stress day to day. And so without, you know,

1:34:33sort of that wraparound support, we are finding that they typically just come to us at that very end

1:34:38where they're panicking. Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you through to you, Stephanie, as well.

1:34:44Thank you. Thank you. Over to you, Councillor Klassen. Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair, to the

1:34:51delegate. Thanks for the presentation and all of the important information and the people that you

1:34:56represent to. I have two questions. The first is, so you mentioned Hamilton as sort of the gold

1:35:03standard and, you know, in your delegation. London and Toronto also have new bylaws. I'm wondering

1:35:09if you have any insight or, you know, discussion with your colleagues in these cities about,

1:35:16you know, how the bylaw is impacting the residents in their community, you know, and if you could

1:35:23just comment on that. I appreciate it. I actually love that question. So thank you,

1:35:26Councillor Klassen. We do. So we work very closely with all of our sister clinics across the province

1:35:33and I can tell you what they have been saying. So in terms of London, they have since their

1:35:41renovation bylaw was implemented, they have seen the number of N13s that come through their doors

1:35:46reduced to zero. So this isn't just an improvement. It is an eradication of the problem. It is

1:35:52phenomenal. In Hamilton, they have seen a significant decrease. I don't have the actual

1:35:56numbers. It's a very, very large legal clinic, but they have seen it reduced to single digits.

1:36:02Toronto, I'm not sure because Toronto, sorry, Toronto, you would have multiple legal clinics

1:36:06spread across that area. So it would be very difficult to kind of give you those numbers.

1:36:09But I think London might be the easiest comparison to kind of explain to people that

1:36:16this will solve this problem in such a meaningful way.

1:36:20That's great. I really appreciate that. Thank you. And then I just want to go back to something

1:36:26that came up in another delegation regarding the N12s, like corporations can't apply for N12s.

1:36:32And so my question is, do you happen to know how many corporations are applying for the N13s?

1:36:39In Guelph? Yes. I mean, I don't know. I can only tell you the ones that have come through our doors.

1:36:45Could you speak to that? I can speak to that. So in terms of the ones, so when I give you our

1:36:49numbers and I say, you know, we're on track to 280 N13s in 2025, I could say that, sorry,

1:36:56I haven't looked at the data, but I can tell you anecdotally, just because most of them come through

1:36:59my desk, I'd say more than half. Okay. More than half are coming. And that's the other issue with

1:37:04the N13s is when they come, they typically come in waves. Yes, you do have your single,

1:37:09you know, small homeowner who's doing a rent eviction where they're renting a basement unit,

1:37:13but the vast majority of these are coming from buildings that are owned by corporations,

1:37:17and they're coming in one fell sweep. So when we see one come through our doors,

1:37:20we typically flag it in our system because we know that there's going to be others.

1:37:24Okay. Also, thank you. Appreciate you being here. Thanks. Thank you. We have Councillor Goller.

1:37:33Thank you, through you, Chair Caron. Thank you very much for being here, for the work that you do

1:37:38for Guelph. I have been hearing from folks that are arguing that the potential downside of a

1:37:47rent eviction by law would be the impact on those smaller mom and pop landlords and looking at the

1:37:53fees that, you know, Hamilton has of $700 plus dollars for the application and then the engineering

1:38:01work could potentially have an impact in getting landlords to not renovate units that need

1:38:08work to be done. And, you know, they also talk about the impact on a landlord to have to pay for

1:38:17the tenant to, you know, move somewhere else while their work is being done. Do you have comments

1:38:24to those, you know, to those arguments on the impacts of this on the small landlords,

1:38:30understanding that when a big corporation buys a building and kicks people out, we all get that.

1:38:35But if you're saying that only about half the entertains are coming from that side of things,

1:38:39from the big people that are buying a building and moving people out, what about the other half?

1:38:44So I can tell you, as I mentioned in my delegation, that it is extremely rare. I don't want to say it

1:38:52doesn't happen, but I was pretty close to it. Extremely rare for a particularly a small landlord

1:38:58to decide to do a renovation so extensive that it requires vacant possession when you have a

1:39:02tenant occupying the unit. It's just bad business, right? You can't capitalize on the return because

1:39:08you have to return that if you were doing it in good faith, or let's under the premise here that

1:39:12this person is acting in good faith, you have to return it to them at the same rental rate. So you

1:39:17can't cash in on your investment. Now, if you've got security of tenure provisions and that tenant

1:39:21lives there for another five or 10 years, trends are changing decor and style, ordinary wear and

1:39:26tear, by the time you can actually cash in on current market, the return rate is just not worth

1:39:32it. So how often does it happen? In my experience, I've never seen it happen. I'm not saying it couldn't

1:39:38happen and there couldn't be a good faith landlord who did genuinely want to do that. I just think

1:39:42it would be extremely rare. What a landlord is doing when they're operating good faith is they

1:39:47don't do a renovation. They wait until the unit is vacant, and that's when they do their renovations

1:39:52upon vacant possession. And then in terms of deterring small landlords from doing work,

1:39:58I don't think that that is a huge concern. I think that we have a pretty strong distinction

1:40:02under the RTA in terms of maintenance and renovation. So I think it's important not to confuse those two,

1:40:07and we still have strong provisions to ensure that maintenance obligations are met, as well as obviously

1:40:11municipal property standards. So I feel pretty confident that in terms of the small mom and pop,

1:40:18shall we say landlords are not going to be significantly impacted or in my opinion not

1:40:22impacted at all. Okay, okay. And you spoke to, through chair, to evictions that are with costs

1:40:30and without costs. In your experience, any of these renovation violence would not impact the

1:40:36ability of a landlord to evict someone for reasons, you know, they're destroying the unit or other

1:40:42costs, right? Correct. It would have no impact whatsoever. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you,

1:40:47thanks. You're getting a lot of questions as our second delegation. Wonderful. One quick

1:40:51question of clarification, and then we'll move on. Thanks. Thank you for circling back to me,

1:40:56Madam Chair. Just a clarification, I've heard the term permit process and the licensing process

1:41:04from where you are. Do you see a distinction between those? I am sorry, are you referencing in

1:41:10terms of a bylaw? Yes. A permit process or like, so I mean, I think sometimes it might just be the

1:41:16use of the language, but you know, I don't know if you know, the language, a licensing process was

1:41:21maybe more palatable. But I sort of look at those as one, right? So someone applies for a renovation

1:41:30license. Or are you talking about the RTA provisions in terms of the permits? No, just the bylaw.

1:41:35Just the bylaw. So I mean, essentially, you apply for a renovation license. But in order to get that

1:41:41license, you need to demonstrate that the work is so extensive that a permit is required under

1:41:46the building code. So that's sort of the two sort of moving pieces. And then again, to justify that,

1:41:53again, vacant possession is required, not only do you need a permit, but you need

1:41:56some sort of confirmation from an expert in the field that this work needs to be done

1:42:04in order to get vacant possession, we'll say. Thank you very much. Thank you. And again,

1:42:10thank you for your delegation. The questions were about three times the length of your

1:42:14delegation, but you come with expertise and valuable information. So thank you. Our next

1:42:19delegation is Tay Katen with Joan Fenlon in the Wings. Welcome. Hello, Madam Chair,

1:42:36Mayor and Council. Last September, housing researchers Ricardo Trangin and Pauline

1:42:42of Argototh released a report with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to examine rent

1:42:46control in Ontario. They also summarized some unfortunate loopholes around rent control,

1:42:52including vacancy decontrol, which has been allowed in this province since 1998.

1:42:58Vacancy decontrol happens when a tenant vacates a unit voluntarily or involuntarily.

1:43:04Landlords are then allowed to increase rent as much as they want. They don't need to adhere to

1:43:09any rent control guidelines which protect renters during tenancy. This is a deeply concerning

1:43:15loophole because tenants are often forced to vacate their homes through bad faith tactics

1:43:19like renovations. From November 2022 to November 2023, 13.2% of rental units in Guelph had a change

1:43:28of tenants. That's 2.4% higher turnover than the provincial average. For those 13.2% of rental

1:43:37units which had turnover, the average rent increase was 43%. That's higher than any other

1:43:43municipality in Ontario and 7.4% higher than the provincial average. About 1 in 7 or 1 in 8

1:43:51Guelph tenants vacated their units over the course of a year. Those same vacated units went back

1:43:56on the market but they cost an average 43% more. An $1,800 per month apartment would suddenly cost

1:44:032,574 monthly. An approximate 40% surcharge over the rate of inflation. People love to complain

1:44:13about property taxes in Guelph but it's nowhere near the 43% average increase tenants are navigating

1:44:19upon unit turnover. Your oath to support constituents spans beyond property owners,

1:44:25particularly when landlords are acting in bad faith to gouge residents far beyond reasonable increases.

1:44:33Vacancy decontrol happens provincially yet Guelph landlords have been most exploitative

1:44:38as evidenced by the CCPA report. Other municipalities like Hamilton, Toronto and New

1:44:44Westminster BC have already passed rent eviction bylaws with positive results. New Westminster,

1:44:49for example, saw a reduction in rent evictions from 333 units between 2016 and 2018 to 0 since 2019

1:44:59and from the previous delegate it sounds like that's been the case for London as well.

1:45:03A rent eviction bylaw is not a new concept. Guelph simply needs to implement an already

1:45:09proven method to protect its renters especially when we have the highest year-over-year rent increases

1:45:15upon turnover in Ontario. It's unfortunate really that municipalities are responsible for cleaning

1:45:21up the housing mess left by higher levels of government but it's the reality we live in.

1:45:26I have seen recent initiatives by city staff and council to encourage new builds for affordable

1:45:30rentals. This is a step in the right direction but increasing the amount of affordable rental

1:45:35properties only partially helps when there is no rent control for units first occupied after

1:45:40November 2018. Another massive part of this equation to protect affordability is by keeping

1:45:47people in their homes now rather than being displaced often through rent evictions which

1:45:52results in more costly lease agreements if they can even find one. Being evicted in this rental

1:45:58market is far too often a pipeline to homelessness which increased by 25% since 2022 with an estimated

1:46:0680,000 Ontarians living on the street. Except for councillors Allt, Boussatil, Caidon and Hauser

1:46:14this mayor and council previously voted to pass a public space use bylaw which makes

1:46:19legally setting up tents in your community even more challenging. I hope you would do everything

1:46:24in your power to prevent your constituents from being displaced before they end up in a tent

1:46:29navigating your previously enacted sensitive spaces designated areas and sweeps. You have

1:46:35an opportunity right now to help prevent homelessness in a landscape where you already

1:46:39imposed rules and limitations to living on housed. The housing crisis does not solely fall on this

1:46:45council. I've seen blame shifted to other levels of government developers and even towards the

1:46:50individuals who are struggling. Tonight this is nobody's decision but your own. A renovation

1:46:56bylaw will help resolve this crisis protecting wealth renters from the rampant misuse of loopholes

1:47:01by landlords who act in bad faith. Thanks for the time. Thank you. Right on cue. Any questions for

1:47:11the delegation? No one on the screen? Okay, thanks so much. Joan Fenlon is our next delegation

1:47:20followed by Ken Thompson. Welcome Joan. Good afternoon. I'm too short here so I want to

1:47:34address recommendation three about the affordable housing programming. I'm speaking up for the ward

1:47:42where we have lived since 73. I'm approaching the vacant tax bylaw issue from a slightly

1:47:47different viewpoint. In the mid 80s a person purchased a semi-detached house and began living

1:47:54on our street. Over a period of time two more semis and a warehouse were purchased. Two semis

1:48:01rented out briefly. Approximately 10 years ago the owner moved away and left homes vacant. Three homes

1:48:10warehouse unused. Recently the owner moved back and brought an enormous amount of junk and proceeded

1:48:15to put truckloads onto and into the properties. The three semis also have neighbors who are

1:48:21taxpayers. For years the neighbors have tried to have properties cleaned up. Approximately 10

1:48:28years ago the neighborhood had a meeting at City Hall to address the issue. Simply put we hit a brick wall

1:48:36because as you probably have guessed the property owner is a hoarder that has put our end of the

1:48:43street in danger. Mold, mildew, rodents, raccoons have inhabited the houses. Attached homes are

1:48:53losing heat through the walls because they are semis. As well drug addicts have gained access to

1:49:00one semi and the police were called because the place was vacant at the time. The government

1:49:05Ontario classifies hoarding as a disability but becomes a legal issue if it creates a fire hazard

1:49:13from the neighborhood point of view. A hoarding over 30 years is a mental health issue without a

1:49:18doubt. Fire hazard is absolutely here on our street and has been for at least 30 years.

1:49:26It's really getting out of you know it's getting out of control. The bylaw tax penalizing vacant

1:49:33houses would be a start. Ours is possibly unique but on our street and neighborhood it has a massive

1:49:40influence on affordability, housing especially for young families. We need bylaw enforcement

1:49:47that operates on common sense. I have nothing else. Any questions?

1:49:55That's great. Thanks. You've got about another two and a half minutes. I know I'll pass my time to

1:49:59somebody. Any questions for the delegation? We do not. Okay Ken Thompson is up next followed by Scott

1:50:06Frederick. Ken, welcome. A little taller. Good afternoon, Madam Chair, Councillor, staff and

1:50:18Mayor Guthrie. My name is Ken Thompson. I'm a 32 year old renter in Ward 3. I lived in Guelph from

1:50:242010 to 2014 when I was a student at the University of Guelph and I'm happy to have been back here

1:50:29since March of this year and I work as a research scientist at the University Center for Biodiversity

1:50:34Genomics. I'm here today delegating on behalf of Get Involved Guelph a small group of Guelph residents

1:50:40like me helping citizens engage with local government. In between my first and now second

1:50:47periods of residency in Guelph I lived in three places. Toronto, Vancouver and in Silicon Valley,

1:50:53California. Three areas with world-class housing crises. The most shocking thing about moving

1:51:00back to Guelph is seeing how unfortunately we are not so different from these places in terms of the

1:51:05magnitude of the housing crisis. The reality is Guelph is one of the best places to live in the

1:51:11country if not the continent and that is no longer a well-kept secret. Right now I'm helping two

1:51:17couples find housing in Guelph. One couple moving from Vancouver and another from South Africa.

1:51:22They're starting as my colleagues at the University. They'd like to live downtown or in the ward

1:51:26and are looking for a one or two bedroom unit below $2,200. Finding such a unit is proving

1:51:32difficult and my colleagues from South Africa will have their plane tickets before they have

1:51:36secured housing. What's particularly frustrating to me is that right now in these two neighborhoods

1:51:42downtown on the ward there are likely more units sitting vacant than there are units listed for

1:51:47rent online. These vacant units must be brought back to the market. I applaud the city and staff

1:51:54for drafting a vacancy tax. It's a step in the right direction but I think for it to be most

1:51:59effective it needs to have the following eight features. First it must be applied at 4% instead

1:52:06of the proposed 2%. This will be an effective incentive to bring housing back into the market

1:52:12and will generate funds to be applied to affordable housing and of course to cover

1:52:16the administration of the program therefore ensuring that taxpayers will not foot the bill.

1:52:20Second it needs to be a mandatory declaration and not complaint based. Mandatory declaration is

1:52:26the only equitable way of ensuring that all vacant housing is subject to the program and it's the

1:52:31best means of identifying all of Guelph's legitimately vacant homes. The declaration could be sent in

1:52:38the mail for example with a property tax assessment. Hamilton had a 97.8% compliance rate as you can

1:52:45see in correspondence submitted by Susan Watson. 2.5% of units were declared or deemed vacant

1:52:52and the majority of these vacant units 92% were undeclared meaning they would rely on complaints

1:52:58and I'll note that the majority of undeclared units were in multi-unit buildings which are

1:53:02more difficult to detect and complain about. Number three, Channel surplus revenues directly to the

1:53:10local nonprofit housing sector. Any revenue can be directed to organizations like Habitat for

1:53:15Humanity or Community Land Trust or Housing Cooperatives. If the proposed destination the

1:53:21affordable housing reserve fund remains I think it must be made more clear what exactly this fund is

1:53:27and where the funds have gone in the past and where they will go. Number four, established a vacant

1:53:33unit registry and implement an annual inspection of vacant units. There's no other way to track

1:53:38vacant units over time and ensure good faith declarations. This would also allow the city to

1:53:43determine whether renovations and construction are being conducted expediently and in good faith

1:53:48by comparison to the previous years. It would also circumvent demolition by neglect as we just

1:53:54heard about. The inspection cost should be covered by owners. Five, established effective penalties,

1:54:01false declaration should be penalized by meaningful fines. We recommend $10,000 for individual

1:54:06unit owners and $50,000 for corporate unit owners for each year in unit. Six, ensure the program

1:54:12begins in 2026. That's self-evident. Seven, commit to transparency. Council should commit to producing

1:54:19a public report for citizens and council to review. As was done in Hamilton, theirs can be used as a

1:54:24great example. And eight, apply the tax to all multi-unit buildings. Staff recommended exempting

1:54:30multi-residential properties with more than six units. I didn't see any justification for this

1:54:35and it does not appear in the list of suggested exemptions from the province. To conclude, by

1:54:41implementing a vacant unit tax with these eight features, the policy will be as effective as it

1:54:46could be. You'll find in the correspondence support from both renters and homeowners, if someone has

1:54:53the money to leave a complete housing unit sitting vacant, and again, with reasonable exceptions for

1:54:59people experiencing hardship, then they have the money to pay the tax. Thank you for your time and

1:55:04attention. Thank you. Any questions for the delegation? We have one from Councillor Gibson,

1:55:11actually. Just a commitment to the delegate. I will follow up with staff. I also noticed the

1:55:16six-unit residential on the exemptions list and I commit to you all. I'll ask that of staff. Thank

1:55:21you. Wonderful. Thank you, Council. Thank you. Our next delegation, oh, sorry,

1:55:30one more for you. Mayor Guthrie has a question. Yeah, sorry. Thank you, Chair. It was on the

1:55:34same point and thank you to the delegate. So provincial legislation actually excludes multi-

1:55:41residential properties with more than six units under the same ownership, like in an apartment

1:55:47building as an example. Are you taking that into consideration, the fact that the province,

1:55:52the legislation already excludes that? I was just looking at the list of proposed exemptions on the

1:56:01on the Ontario provincial government website. I'll need to do, I'll look into this a little bit

1:56:07more. Mayor Guthrie. Okay, yeah, because it is, it is just just so everyone's aware from a clarity

1:56:13point of view, the provincial legislation excludes multi-residential properties more than six units

1:56:20under the same ownership. So that's an exclusion under the province. There could be some other

1:56:26ways to look at it, as you've just described, and as Councillor Gibson might have asked,

1:56:30but I just wanted to make sure that we're not moving forward thinking that that is a thing,

1:56:34when it's not a thing, that's all. Okay. Understood. Thanks, Mayor Guthrie.

1:56:41Any further questions for the delegation? No, we're good. Moving on to Scott Frederick,

1:56:50with Daniel Kaufman on deck. So I'm going to refer to some photos that I sent by email.

1:57:05Unfortunately, the gallery is not going to be able to see those, but hopefully you've got the email

1:57:11up. So I'm going to focus by my observations on vacant units in the ward in particular.

1:57:20During the run up to the 2018 municipal campaign, I organized a tour of vacant houses in the ward

1:57:27downtown and the old city. Some ward two and three candidates were there, some press were there.

1:57:34We visited some well-known and some less well-known vacant houses. And some of those houses we visited

1:57:40then are still vacant today, three years later. Some are now occupied and that's good and that's

1:57:46what you want to see. But I find it disturbing that any landowners, land loaned owners, find it

1:57:53profitable to hold dwelling units off the market for extended periods. So I'm going to refer to the

1:58:00map that I sent. I've marked the vacant houses that I've found. I've counted 11. Two of those have

1:58:10two units each, so that's a total of 13 units. Those are just the ones that we know of, mostly

1:58:15reported by neighbors. There's no big red flag that appears when a unit is vacant for extended

1:58:22periods. Usually it's immediate neighbors that notify us. You also see some question marks.

1:58:28Those are multi-unit buildings. The mark on the far left is 71 Wyndham. I've been told within the

1:58:36last week that there are 13 units vacant there out of a total of 129. So we don't know how long

1:58:44they've been vacant. This is why we need mandatory declaration of vacancies and a vacant home registry.

1:58:52For some reason staff have, we just heard the reason why, that provincial government has exempted

1:58:5960 units. But you know that's something we'll have to take up in other methods.

1:59:08So other cities that have mandatory declarations have found that most vacant units are in multiple

1:59:13unit buildings. We should definitely cover multiple unit buildings. So I want to focus on all of

1:59:20street now. All over street has 30 homes on it. Three of them have been vacant for years.

1:59:27And that's 10% of the street vacant and in disrepair. People are on the street are angry about

1:59:32this situation and the people on Alice Street are also angry about it. A lot of houses on all

1:59:37over back on the Alice Street creates a bad atmosphere when a neighborhood lacks both residents

1:59:43and the upkeep that would take place if these units were occupied. So the first picture is a

1:59:51duplex on Oliver Street. The left hand side is occupied and the right side has been vacant for

1:59:56over 15 years. This isn't safe. There could be gas leaks, wildlife occupations, other leaks. Imagine

2:00:04living for years with only a wall separating you from what is essentially an abandoned house.

2:00:10Directly across the street from this house is another duplex, which also has one side

2:00:16unoccupied and the other vacant for years. I'm told that the same owner owns both vacant units.

2:00:22Vacant housing should be subject to annual inspections paid for by the landlord and maintained

2:00:28by the landlord to a minimum standard in order to prevent what is essentially demolition by neglect.

2:00:34So the third slide is a house on Neve Street. That's part of a row of six. There's nothing wrong

2:00:40with this house. It's move-in ready. The house had a tenant who was convicted in 2024. She was

2:00:45extremely unhappy about being forced out of her home, which she'd like living in and took care of.

2:00:50House was put up for sale for about 10 months, didn't sell, and sat vacant for a year and a half now.

2:00:56It's for places like this that we need a vacant unit tax that is substantial enough

2:01:01to discourage rentable units being held off the market as this one has.

2:01:05The 2% rate as recommended by staff would net $6,000 a year for the Irish housing wealth.

2:01:114% rate would generate $12,000 a year. We need a rate that is high enough that it would effectively

2:01:18incentivize landlords to rent out or sell vacant properties. So that concludes my delegation.

2:01:28Thank you. Any questions for the delegate? Thank you. Our next delegate is Daniel Kaufman.

2:01:41Welcome. And Dominique on deck. Okay. Good afternoon, Council and staff. A little over a year ago,

2:01:54I was here speaking about my ongoing rent eviction situation in my home and with my neighbors.

2:02:00And so here I am for the sequel to that. Over that time, I've spoken with many people,

2:02:06went many months during that time, not knowing if a month or two from then I wouldn't have a home

2:02:11and watched a lot of my neighbors go through the same kind of things. Today, I'd like to reiterate

2:02:15my support for a renovation protection by law and why I think it's an essential part in combating

2:02:22the affordability crisis, not just in our city, but sending a message to help it across the province.

2:02:29Since the last time that I spoke here at council about my situation,

2:02:32most of my neighbors have left our homes. As I feared then, much of it was because either they

2:02:39didn't know their rights, didn't think that they would be respected, or they just left under the

2:02:45pressures that the landlord placed upon them. Lapses and maintenance, dangers during the renovations

2:02:51of vacant units, and also just, sorry, and pest infestations in the units that the landlord has

2:03:02refused to address have been the last straw for many of the people here. I can say undoubtedly

2:03:07that our home has been left worse off than if the landlord had never touched it at all.

2:03:12We even see new tenants that did get into the units that were vacated leave within the year

2:03:18because these problems persist across the whole building. Situations like this are not unique in

2:03:24the real estate market of this province. We've seen a rise in bad faith evictions and the province's

2:03:31unwillingness to address it. Consequently, we've seen the implementation of renovation bylaws across

2:03:38the province. We don't show a willingness for change by sending a strongly word letter to the

2:03:44province. We do it by taking action here. Joining other municipalities and implementing these

2:03:49protections shows that the province shows to the province that this is not a fringe idea.

2:03:53It's something that people across the province want for people. As things are, we are not

2:03:59disincentivizing bad actors. We only embolden them by delaying and taking our time. Our landlord

2:04:06did not create our home. He bought his way in. He neglected the building and forced families from

2:04:12their homes. Without a bylaw in place, we will not see true repercussions for this, and landlords

2:04:19such as our own will continue to buy up affordable housing stock. If Guelph truly wishes to grow

2:04:27affordable housing in the city, then we need to stop the bleeding that we're seeing now.

2:04:31Regarding the cost of this bylaw, I question how much the cost will be in the long run to

2:04:36create new replacement affordable units for the ones we lost. We lost about 30 units in our buildings

2:04:41alone. How much money will it cost to build new affordable units to replace that versus the cost

2:04:46of the action implementing this bylaw? A delay into a new council term to me is entirely unacceptable.

2:04:54I mean, just for another consideration of it. And with that, I once again strongly urge city

2:05:00council to consider passing a renovation and rental replacement bylaw alongside it as soon as

2:05:06possible. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kaufman. Any questions for this delegation? Councillor Boussettile.

2:05:14And Councillor Allt after that. Thank you very much for your delegation and through the chair.

2:05:18Just quickly, I'm glad you mentioned the rental replacement bylaw at the end as well.

2:05:22Having a knowledge of what that is and revisiting back to the beginning of this process, do you

2:05:28think that's some of the measures in the rental replacement process, you know, conversations

2:05:33with tenants, options with tenants and so on would have been helpful? Well, I can say just

2:05:38generally that in our case of our building, which is a corporate landlord owning all these units,

2:05:44we even flow the idea of like, hey, if our unit has to be done, why can't we move across the

2:05:49hall for like a month? Why can't we do that and then come back to our unit after? Obviously,

2:05:53no communication there on something like that. So, I mean, it's definitely more complicated for,

2:06:00you know, mom and pop landlords and stuff like that. It's definitely something to have more

2:06:05of a discussion over later, for sure. But I'd like to see those discussions sped up, obviously,

2:06:09as we heard from Stephanie before, we're going to see a lot of these cases just ramping up because

2:06:14of the fact that we don't have legislation in place to disincentivize it.

2:06:20Caster Alt. Thank you, Chair Caron. Thank you to the delegate. You raised a point about Ms.

2:06:30Clandenick from Legal Aid. I haven't been engaged with things and I was going to ask you a similar

2:06:36question. You've made reference to maintenance, including pest management as being ignored

2:06:43or avoided. And I'm wondering whether you consider that to be similar to the comments made by her

2:06:50about harassment and surrender? Well, I can say on my own unit alone, I mean, I mentioned this

2:06:56one here last year, but we had a stove that broke. In our lease, we have a stove. They never communicated

2:07:03to us anything about replacing it. We had to do it ourselves. Now, our freezer's broken. Again,

2:07:08we've gone to the superintendent, tried to speak to them about that. It's been months. Our freezer

2:07:14isn't working properly and is causing food even in our fridge to go bad because it's freezing over

2:07:18at the bottom and not allowing the cold to come down. There's a storm drain or like the storm

2:07:23drain system on the top of the building. One of the pipes fell over. That brings the water down

2:07:28the side of the building. Luckily, it did not hit anybody's cars, but now I've got water spring on

2:07:32my car, which will eventually be freezing water and can end up just freezing my car in place in

2:07:36the winter when that comes now. It's been about eight months since we've reported that problem.

2:07:45Thank you. Last question. I apologize if you didn't say these words. You implied that there's a

2:07:52significant difference between corporate landowners and mom and pop operations that have an apartment,

2:08:01I think. And I think that Ms. Klein Denning made the same point as well. Just a comment. I appreciate

2:08:08you identifying that it is a challenge with larger landowners. Am I correct in assuming that,

2:08:15or are you seeing it elsewhere as well? I understand for small-scale landlords, they don't have the

2:08:21capital and stuff to deal with, some stuff like this sometimes. I understand that. I've talked

2:08:24to landlords in the city who even feel the pressure that like, hey, things are tough right now in

2:08:30terms of finances and stuff, and they're tempted by an M13, even mom and pops landlords. I mean,

2:08:36it's not something that we're considering on the city level or anything right now. I'd like to see

2:08:39legislation that helps keep those affordable units by subsidizing and helping stuff like that.

2:08:45But generally, it's the corporate landlords that are the problem because they're the ones that

2:08:48stand at a distance, that you can't have a conversation with them. We couldn't even negotiate

2:08:53for a landlord. If we could, we might have done so, just to avoid all the, you know, everything,

2:08:59the stress, the trauma from it all. I mean, yeah. Thank you very much for sharing your

2:09:05personal experiences. Thanks. We have Merica three and then Councillor Klassen.

2:09:14Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Daniel. Appreciate you being here. May I just ask about the outcome

2:09:21that currently has occurred on some of these large-scale potential renovictions that were very

2:09:29much in the media over the last year, you being one of them. And I'm not trying to take away at

2:09:36all from those that were displaced, as you rightly said, in the meantime. But I'm just trying to

2:09:42figure it. I thought I saw something in the media maybe two or three months ago, I'm sorry if I

2:09:49prefer call, that things sort of went your way, quote unquote. But can you just explain what

2:10:00occurred there quickly for us? Yeah, so how the legislation maybe worked in your favor

2:10:06that is currently there. I'm sorry to interrupt you. Well, for a point of clarification, I wouldn't

2:10:12even really put it that the legislation was what helped us in the end. The landlord did end up

2:10:17dropping the N 13s for the remaining units that after two thirds of the units were displaced

2:10:22anyhow. So in that sense, it kind of became a cost benefit analysis continuing legislate,

2:10:29sorry, legal battle and stuff over this didn't really seem to be something that they wanted

2:10:34to go forward with anymore. So that's more of what saved us in the end, honestly, was just the fact

2:10:39that we stuck our ground. But the problem is again, is that as Stephanie said, a lot of tenants don't

2:10:44come forward to seek legal aid and stuff like that to be able to battle this. Yeah, yeah, no, I hear

2:10:50you. So we are protected. Now we are not going to lose our home. But at the same time again,

2:10:57what happened before with lapses and maintenance and being ignored and all this other stuff,

2:11:01that still just happens anyways, like they're still wanting us to go. They're just not

2:11:06floating in N 13 right now anymore. Thank you again. I really appreciate you telling us that.

2:11:12Thank you. Thanks, Councillor Klassen. Yes, thank you through you, Chair, to the delegate,

2:11:18Mr. Coffin. Thank you for coming to council again and sharing your experiences. I just want to

2:11:25acknowledge what a terrible time it's been for you and some of your neighbors. And I appreciate that

2:11:31you came forward and talked about what's happened and you're standing up for the people in your

2:11:35neighborhood. My question is with regard to you mentioned in your delegation, people didn't know

2:11:41their rights, you know, they moved on, they were afraid, you know, they didn't want the trouble.

2:11:45I just wanted to give you a moment to say to ask you, what would you tell, you know, similar people

2:11:51going through something like this or they're about to go through this, they've, you know,

2:11:55received a notice from everything that you've learned? Could you share what you might want to

2:12:01share with, you know, the community? I mean, the toughest part to begin with is the reaching out.

2:12:05I mean, when we first got the notice, I went door to door. And the first thing I heard from some

2:12:10people is, you know, I don't want to deal with this, especially from families, you know, I don't

2:12:14want to deal with the house arrest right now. I don't feel like it's safe. So that's a lot of the

2:12:19people that didn't end up fighting at all. The biggest thing is organizing. It's sharing, you

2:12:23know, information with each other, seeking legal aid as quickly as possible, of course, because a

2:12:28lot of people, again, they were coerced into it, into signing cash for keys and, you know,

2:12:34the first thing, yeah, stick together. That's tough when you're on your own, obviously, if you're

2:12:39like in your own unit and stuff like that. And, you know, these days, not everybody talks to

2:12:43everybody in their building, you know, I met a lot of my neighbors for the first time, honestly,

2:12:47when I went knocking door to door. I appreciate you sharing that.

2:12:54Thank you. Any other questions for the delegate? Mr. Coffman, thank you. You've humanized the issue

2:13:00by being a delegate today. So thank you.

2:13:05Bermanica McPherson. And then our final delegation of Ernest Simmerman.

2:13:15Good afternoon, Council. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you this afternoon.

2:13:20I want to begin by expressing support for recommendation one and three.

2:13:25Continued advocacy to the province to strengthen the Residential Tendency Act,

2:13:29and moving forward with a vacant home tax are both important in addressing housing affordability.

2:13:34And if you'll allow me, I'd also like to express support for the next agenda item and

2:13:39commend you on getting to this point and taking action on creating and building housing. Fingers

2:13:43crossed. I'm here to speak specifically, though, as part of my delegation about recommendation two

2:13:48in particular and the proposed delay in bringing forward recommendations on a renovation and rental

2:13:53replacement bylaw until 2027. In September 2024, Council heard powerful stories from tenants

2:14:01directly affected by renovictions like the one you heard again today. And in December 2024,

2:14:07you unanimously voted to reprioritize work to preserve affordable housing as a high priority

2:14:12in the housing affordability strategy, including efforts to inform policies like a renovation

2:14:17and rental replacement bylaw. If this motion passes as written, that means we will be looking

2:14:23at more than at least two years between when you champion this as a priority and when action would

2:14:30next be considered. I understand the difficult position you're in, balancing competing priorities,

2:14:36limited staff capacity, and fiscal pressures, which are all very real. But delaying another year

2:14:42means more affordable rentals will be lost and more residents displaced in the meantime.

2:14:47We are already seeing this happen. As of July 2025, the number of N13 eviction notice issues in

2:14:54Guelph had doubled compared to previous years for those that we know of, alongside increases in N12s.

2:15:00These aren't just numbers. They represent individuals and families losing their homes,

2:15:06stability, and often their connection to their communities. We're also seeing an alarming rise

2:15:12in people newly entering homelessness. Increasingly, these are individuals and families who've been

2:15:18displaced or priced out of the rental market. While not the only factor contributing, this

2:15:24kind of housing loss is becoming a growing driver of homelessness in our community.

2:15:29I just returned from the National Conference on Ending Homelessness, where 12 organizations from

2:15:34our community across health, housing, justice, and child welfare came together urgently to

2:15:39learn and find more effective solutions. What's clear is we cannot solve homelessness without

2:15:45preventing it. And preventing it means protecting the affordable homes we already have. You have

2:15:52a tool to do exactly that. A rent eviction and rental replacement bylaw, proven evidence-based

2:15:58ways to stop displacement and safeguard wealth's affordable housing. Some say we need more data

2:16:04before acting, but data limitations will remain a challenge with Ontario lacking a

2:16:10comprehensive mechanism to track rent evictions. Waiting for perfect data means continuing to lose

2:16:16affordable homes in the meantime. Other municipalities, as we've heard, didn't wait. They acted because

2:16:24the harm was clear and the same is true in our community, where community members have, will,

2:16:30and are experiencing rent evictions today. Some have expressed concern that a bylaw could affect

2:16:36all landlords. In practice, it targets the bad actors and acts as a deterrent, while responsible

2:16:42landlords are minimally impacted. It levels the playing field and prevents wealth from being seen

2:16:48as an easier place to bypass tenant protections compared to other municipalities. Yes, this work

2:16:55has a cost, but it's a strategic investment. Preventing housing loss is far cheaper than

2:17:01managing homelessness, emergency responses, and even solutions like rent supplements.

2:17:08While the province undoubtedly has the largest role to play, wealth can act now to protect

2:17:13residents by developing bylaws that put the responsibility on the system to protect people,

2:17:19not on people in crisis. I urge council not to defer this work to 2027. Reinform your commitment

2:17:28by supporting action to develop a rent eviction and rental replacement bylaw within the next year.

2:17:34This is an opportunity to demonstrate that wealth is serious about both building new housing

2:17:39and protecting the affordable housing we already have, supporting residents to remain in their homes

2:17:45and communities for both individual and broader community benefit. Thank you.

2:17:52Thank you. Any questions for the delegation? Seeing none, thanks.

2:17:58Burners-Himman. Welcome, Mr. Zermail. The mic is yours.

2:18:18Thank you. It's quite fitting that Z comes at the end. Counselors, staff, Mr. Mayor,

2:18:25I hope I got this at the right spot. It's a picture show tonight. Actually, not really.

2:18:31First of all, thank you for being here. We're all here because we care about this city. We love

2:18:37this city and we care about the residents. That's multifaceted. As you've heard, there's so many

2:18:44situations. The one I want to address today is the vacant house tax. I say house because

2:18:52someone makes it a home, but it's a house. Demolition by neglect. Now, what you see up there is

2:19:03Glasgow Street South. I'm proud to say that the house on the right is mine. The one next to it,

2:19:09it's my son's. Don't ask questions. The one at the end is the one I is in question.

2:19:16The landlord owns four properties in 12. He does not live here. Three of those are empty.

2:19:28One of them is actually historical. The one on Woolwich Street, Jean Little House. This one built

2:19:34in 1880, 50 years after the beginning of the city when Glasgow Street was laid out. It's not one of

2:19:42the mansions up the street, but it has heritage to it. It anchors the street. On top of that,

2:19:51it's a lovely house and it should be full of a family. This morning I was at the museum. I was

2:19:57checking out all the owners trying to find out because years ago, an old gentleman, Mr. Koch,

2:20:02who lived on Waterloo, who had lived on so long that he remembered as a child the first car coming

2:20:09into Guelph on Market Street, which is Waterloo. He told me that one of the early mayors of Guelph

2:20:15was either born there or lived there, but I've got to look that out. But anyways, it has heritage

2:20:21value. This city has a beauty due to some of the architecture. Now, I'm not saying the architecture

2:20:28and heritage is more important than people having a roof over their house. It actually struck me the

2:20:33other evening. I'm lucky. I mean, that house that I have, I actually bought it vacant. I was told to

2:20:40bulldoze it by the banks because they would give me money to build a new house, but there wasn't

2:20:45a worth to him. To them, I've done everything possible to at least restore the facade of it

2:20:51and the interior. But what I'm saying is that there should be a family in there. In the other houses

2:20:58that he owns, there should be families. Demolition by neglect should not be allowed. Now, in March of

2:21:0524, I believe you amended the demolition by law, made a $50,000 if you rip a house down without a

2:21:14permit, which is reasonable. And not only that, but you had two years to build on it. But if somebody

2:21:21wants to get around that, why not just let it sit? And yes, if you can afford to let it sit,

2:21:27you can afford to pay at least 4%. It has to be punitive. And you should have to report that you

2:21:35have a house. Now, I'm sorry. I mean, I'm not some crazy socialist. What I'm saying is that in a case

2:21:40of a city that has a housing crisis that people now want to live. I know people that are trying to

2:21:47get into this city and they're finding it difficult. I actually realized that if I did not have this

2:21:53house, even with a college pension and royalties and everything, I would find it very hard to rent

2:22:00in this city. It's something that you as a council with this vacant house tax should take very

2:22:11seriously along with the renovation, because we need homes, we need places for families to live,

2:22:18we need to protect the residents of this city and not just the landlords. So

2:22:25could you just go to the next slide there? I just wanted a quick one. That is the front of the house.

2:22:30Italian aid is quite lovely. As you can see, a little bit overgrown. We've had squatters in there.

2:22:35We've had human excrement in the backyard that finally was discovered. We had to live with the

2:22:41smell for a whole summer. We've had rodents in there. And not only that, next slide please.

2:22:49Oh, one more slide please. Yes. Oh, one more. Sorry, we're going to run out of time here.

2:22:55I want to bring your attention to the proximity. It's look at those eftrops up there.

2:23:00Look how close they are. That house has a cedar roof. It has electricity in there, although

2:23:05no one's in there. And there's rodents until recently when finally the landlord was forced

2:23:11to close up the roof properly. There was a family of six raccoons living in there.

2:23:16Never mind how many squirrels. If they chewed through a wire, that house would go up in flames.

2:23:21And all the work we put into that house next door would be, well, it would be a fire.

2:23:27Thank you. Sorry, I didn't want to cut you off, but you're my, you're my point off. So if there's

2:23:34any questions of the delegation, we have one from Councillor Boussatile and Councillor Chew.

2:23:40Thank you very much for your delegation. I just have a quick question. I think you touched upon

2:23:44it very briefly. So the report on page 17 talks about there's two processes. One is the mandatory

2:23:51declaration. Are you living in your houses at vacant or complaint base? And could you expand

2:23:58on your views on those? Well, my view is that if it's by complaints, some people are very hesitant.

2:24:06I've talked to a number of people lately and they go, yeah, the house is next door is a disaster or

2:24:11just down the street or I'm really worried about it, but I don't want to really get involved kind

2:24:15of deal. I mean, it should be if you, you know, I mean, if I want to do something in my house,

2:24:22I have to have a permit. If I'm going to let it fall apart, you should have to report that it is

2:24:30vacant. And even for the fire department, it would be really good. So there should be a mandatory

2:24:36register registry of it so that we keep track of it. In fact, you know, we've, as getting wealth,

2:24:44get involved, Guelph have found at least 50 places in Guelph. And I'm sure Ontario, the Guelph hydro

2:24:52are whatever they're called now, they just tracking power usage in a property would tell you if it's

2:24:58empty or not. I'm not trying to get into people's privacy, but I'm getting concerned about the city

2:25:05and its residents and its heritage. Thank you. Councillor Chew. Through you, Mr. Mayor.

2:25:16Madam Chair, I apologize. Thank you to the delegate and thank you for your visual aid. So it's

2:25:22very helpful to me. I'm just curious about the complaint basis provision for our bylaw that we're

2:25:29proposing. In a similar vein, like, what is your experience going through the complaint basis process

2:25:36if you have for our property standards? Because I think a lot of the issues is premised on property

2:25:42standards by and large, especially in your neighbourhoods. I was just wondering if you have

2:25:48any experiences and what does that entail? Well, speaking for my son and myself, we have

2:25:57constantly complained about, well, the upkeep of the place, whether, you know, I mean,

2:26:02he was growing a meadow, whether or not, you know, the rodents, the bylaw has been there many times.

2:26:10I'm sure City Hall staff know the situation quite well. Complaining, complaining, complaining, that

2:26:18would really be, it's sometimes very frustrating, but if a person has to, if owner says I want to

2:26:27keep it vacant, I'm going to report it. And really, the idea is that to get them going, so it's either

2:26:35either replaced with rental or a house, you know, somebody can make a home, or it should be back on

2:26:42the market. It should be back in use. It should not be sitting empty. Demolition by neglect,

2:26:49I feel like it's like me, it's a minor crime, but it's a crime. It's wrong. Sorry about all the passion.

2:26:59Thank you. That's what you, is that, did you have another question?

2:27:04Yeah, I guess you mentioned about you have 50 places in which you guys ad hoc kind of track

2:27:12and kind of made an assessment that they're vacant. Like, how would you kind of set, if you had the

2:27:19opportunity, like how would you set the criteria to kind of determine whether a unit is actually vacant?

2:27:29Like, how would you do that? Kind of using legal ledgers as well? Because I think that's what we

2:27:33have to figure out here. Yeah, thank you for the question. Or there's a remark, if, you know,

2:27:41there are reasons not to, I mean, if somebody has died and it's got to be taken care of,

2:27:47or, you know, somebody's in an old folks home, or hospital, or something, 183 days, I think it is,

2:27:52or six months is a good start. And there should be an appeal kind of thing, you know, if you feel

2:28:00that it hasn't, you know, you have been wronged, then you could appeal it. But I think there would

2:28:06be enough, what's the word? You could set it up so that it is fair and accurate. Thank you.

2:28:21I don't know if that answered it. Thanks. Councillor Allt.

2:28:26Thank you very much, Chair Caron. More of a comment than anything to Mr. Zimmerman. Thank you,

2:28:32first of all, for your passion. I have no problem with passion when it comes to community. But the

2:28:37most important thing I think is, is that atypical of many of our representations on issues of housing

2:28:44and heritage, you presented a solid argument for the preservation of heritage housing for the purposes

2:28:51of housing people, both in rental and for purchase accommodations. I don't know whether you want to

2:28:57comment on that further, but thank you very much. I'm sorry, your cat caught my attention. Can you

2:29:05repeat that, please? I'm not superstitious, but a black cat crossed my deck. I wanted to thank you for

2:29:15dovetailing heritage and housing together. It is very rarely that we hear that in this forum,

2:29:23and I wonder whether you wish to further extrapolate on that or whether what you said

2:29:30quite passionately is all that needs to be said. There's a question in there somewhere. Yeah, I'm

2:29:36trying to find it. Sorry, I need to say anything more about heritage housing. Oh, well, the heritage,

2:29:43look, well, one of the things that has kept me here, I mean, I bought that house in 1979 in the

2:29:50core, because I love the core. I love the architecture of wealth. I love the livability of

2:29:57wealth. I've stayed here because of the livability. And it's a family-friendly place, and it should

2:30:05be family-friendly for all ages, as in young families. We are lucky that, I mean, three out of four

2:30:14sons have been able to find a place here with little help, of course, but they got it. And one

2:30:20still is going to have to try to get it. But wealth is a place you want to be. And part of it is

2:30:27that heritage. You walk up Glasgow Street, or you walk in the ward, you walk in, in fact, again,

2:30:32this morning, I encourage all of you to spend time at the museum archives and just going through,

2:30:38I was researching the owners of that house, and I got caught up in just the history of this city.

2:30:44It's amazing. And so the heritage is part of that history. And we're going to tie that back to

2:30:51the agenda item, which is demolition by neglect. Demolition. Okay. demolition. Well, if we start

2:30:59losing these houses, the 1880 Italian 8th house, if it goes down, well, it's soon forgotten. Yeah,

2:31:06at the corner where the service station is, I mean, it's valuable service station, but there used to

2:31:10be the South Ward schoolhouse. It was a stone schoolhouse there behind just, you know, where

2:31:17Preston goes down and around. Well, there used to be that's where they kept cows that wandered in

2:31:24the town. You know, that's that's where you would pick up your cow. There's all sorts of really

2:31:30wonderful stuff. I'm sorry, I'm wondering. We're just going to tie it back to our agenda. Yes,

2:31:35demolition by neglect should be just a definite no, no. That's all. Thank you. Thank you. Your

2:31:44delegation. Okay, that brings us to the end of the delegations on this item. So here's my suggestion

2:31:53for moving forward. I think we all need a five minute break because we've been at it for almost

2:31:57two hours. So five minute break for council and members of the gallery. We will convene back here

2:32:03at exactly four o'clock. And then what we'll do, we'll have questions of staff on all of the

2:32:10everything we've heard today. Then we'll move the motions and then we'll deal with each one of the

2:32:15motions separately in terms of additional questions and debate. So we'll separate all three of the

2:32:20recommendations for that purpose. So we'll see you back here at four o'clock. Hey, 30 second morning.

2:37:57We'll call the meeting back to order. Okay, I believe we have quorum to get the meeting back in

2:38:41order. Thank you again. I see lots of engagement out in the gallery, which is wonderful. I want to

2:38:46thank the delegations. I also want to thank all of the correspondence that we received. This is

2:38:51obviously a topic in our community where the feedback and the lived experience and the policy

2:39:01perspectives that we're getting is helping to inform our decision here today. So we're going to

2:39:05open it up first to questions of staff. And then after those questions are addressed, we'll put the

2:39:14motions on the floor. So I see Councillor Allt, I see Mayor Guthrie, Gibson, Gawler. Thank you,

2:39:23Chair Caron. I'm a bit concerned. And so last question, Ms. Matthews, I'm a bit concerned

2:39:31about the delay that has been suggested. I thought that we would have done this already.

2:39:36And so consequently, I'm wondering if Ms. Matthews could please outline what we might benefit from

2:39:43with the delay and whether in fact some of that delay can be offset by what we've learned from

2:39:48Hamilton, London and elsewhere. Through Chair Caron to Councillor Allt. Thanks for the question,

2:39:57Councillor Allt. In terms of the first part of your question, why we're here today and haven't

2:40:04looked at this before, again, as mentioned in the presentation, we are on a zero to three year

2:40:10timeline to complete action 2.1.1 from the Housing Affordability Strategy. We are not yet out of the

2:40:17first year of implementation of this. So we have taken, we have prioritized this work and done the

2:40:24research and as I mentioned, we have just received the data on the renovation piece in terms of how

2:40:31many N13s. So we have, we're actually sort of coming to this conclusion relatively quickly,

2:40:37although I understand that it does not feel like that. In terms of what a benefit of the delay,

2:40:46again, as I mentioned, I think the municipalities that do have implemented renovation by-law

2:40:53in place already also have a rental replacement by-law. So that was the strategy there for that

2:40:59recommendation coupled with the fact, again, I know, I understand that there is a lot of

2:41:05anecdotal information out there, but the data that we're working with, there's a gap in the

2:41:12data that we have and that's how we staff make decisions or make recommendations for decision.

2:41:18I'd also like to point out that, you know, other municipalities that do have an implemented

2:41:25renovation by-law or are implementing one, it was always staff's recommendations in the reports to

2:41:31not advance it and to focus more sort of on that recommendation one that we provided in education

2:41:37pieces. It was at the, it was at council's decision to advance the renovation piece.

2:41:44And thank you very much. I appreciate that last bit of candor. So I appreciate that and I'll

2:41:50certainly be thinking on what we might do to perhaps speed this up.

2:41:58Thanks, Councillor. I did indicate that we would wait until after all the questions are done

2:42:05to put the motions on the floor, but I think we have some amendments coming up from members of

2:42:09council as we go through the questions and comments. So I would like the three motions to

2:42:16be placed on the floor and then we'll continue with questions and Mayor Guthrie's next on the

2:42:20speaker's list. So someone to move the three motions. Councillor Klassen is seconded by Councillor

2:42:26Richardson. Okay, next on the speaker's list is Mayor Guthrie. Thank you, Chair. Thank you,

2:42:35Councillor. And to staff and the delegations as well. I'll just say up front that you may see my

2:42:42screen go blank, which means I'm leaving soon to another meeting. I want to apologize in advance

2:42:48to everybody, but I am glad this is coming back at the end of the month where I certainly will be

2:42:54looking to vote. I just wanted to ask in regards to the rental replacement companion that is missing

2:43:04and is often being discussed as something that would help, what type of direction does staff need

2:43:12from council in regards to getting a rental replacement companion going? And how long would

2:43:21that take if council were to instead approve the rent eviction bylaw today? Through the Chair to

2:43:31Mayor Guthrie, at this point staff have not begun work to research a rental replacement bylaw. We

2:43:37understand broadly from other municipalities what it is and how they are leveraging it in their

2:43:43communities, but we've not really begun that work at all. So without council direction at this point,

2:43:48our intention is to begin that work over the next year and bring back a report in Q1 2027,

2:43:55giving council some options and a much better understanding of the cost of implementation

2:44:00to do that work. If council was looking to direct us to accelerate that work, we would really be

2:44:07looking at adding additional resources to the team to undertake that work. You have another report

2:44:12to consider later this afternoon. You see the large team of staff and there are many more

2:44:17behind us supporting the work that we've advanced to date and so we just do not have the information

2:44:24to really give you the details for consideration of a rental replacement bylaw

2:44:28as you're seeing us bring forward for a vacant home tax and a rent eviction bylaw today.

2:44:33Okay, thank you. So as a follow up, if we did want to include direction to work on that

2:44:39and have it come prior to 2027, would you be willing to at least tell council

2:44:46either by the end of the month or sooner about what type of work plan shifting or resources would

2:44:54be required sooner so that we could at least have those options in front of us?

2:44:59Through the chair to Mayor Guthrie, I think that's very reasonable. Staff are happy to take it away.

2:45:03I think it is a multi-departmental conversation we need to have so we'll commit to getting you

2:45:07something before the end of the month for your consideration on what would be required to resource it.

2:45:12Okay, thank you very much. My second question through you, Madam Chair, is in regards to

2:45:20property standards and fines. So I was just wondering, just council have the ability to

2:45:29let's say double the fines, triple the fines for neglect of vacant properties that are causing

2:45:39havoc within neighborhoods as described by our last delegate, but we've all heard the

2:45:45horror stories across the entire city. So what can we do to actually look to

2:45:53make that the fines a bit more punitive? So it's separate from the vacancy tax. It's about property

2:46:00standards. Through you, Madam Chair, to Mayor Guthrie. We typically follow a standard escalation

2:46:11process with our standard fines that we have in place. We would aim for compliance and then we

2:46:17could either go through fines where we would have a standard set fine or if we need to escalate,

2:46:22we would actually bring them to court and those standard fines could reach quite high values or

2:46:27we would actually enter and do the work and have the work built back to the property taxes.

2:46:35Thank you. Just as a follow-up, how can the municipality though, prior to something being

2:46:41triggered to go to the province, enable higher fines and punitive fines in regards to these issues

2:46:49of property standards on vacant properties? Thank you, Madam Chair. I think that we could

2:47:01investigate higher fines through the legal process of applying to the regional senior justice to see

2:47:08if we could apply for higher fines for failure to comply with an order, but again our standard

2:47:15process would be to achieve compliance through either fixing the violations or deficiencies

2:47:22or bringing them to court. Okay. Do you need direction from council for you to go and discuss

2:47:29that with the provincial government and the whoever you just said to see about getting those higher

2:47:37fines or is that a takeaway that you could come back to us with a memo by the end of the month?

2:47:42Through you, Madam Chair, we can take that away and investigate with staff and legal.

2:47:47Okay. And may I just get clarity on the first question I asked about replacement,

2:47:53rental replacement? Is that something that you would need direction right now or would there be

2:47:58a memo at the end of the month that can give us some clarity on some of the questions I had there too?

2:48:05Through the chair, we will put all of these items in one memo and bring it back for you.

2:48:10All right. Thank you. Madam Chair, I was wondering if you would be willing to just let me speak for

2:48:20a moment and my council colleagues just for a moment. I do have to go, but I did really want to

2:48:25speak comments on what's in front of us. Is that possible? Yes, absolutely, Mr. Mayor. Given that

2:48:31you have a schedule you need to keep, please take this time to- I really appreciate that. Thank you.

2:48:38Thank you very much. I'll be very quick. I just wanted to say that I- to council, I don't blame

2:48:47staff in a way for saying maybe we should wait and get some more details from the province,

2:48:54see what's happening with Bill 97. That is echoed across the entire province through all of the

2:49:02contacts that I have with all the mayor groups and the Association of Ministers of Poverty of

2:49:07Ontario. Everyone is saying the same thing in regards to that. The last bit of information that

2:49:13I have, happy to transparently tell everybody, is that they're probably aiming for something around

2:49:20the spring. However, we don't know what it's going to be. So that- and that's the crux of the issue.

2:49:30So as much as maybe my contacts are saying something in the spring and maybe it's going to be good,

2:49:37maybe it's not. And we don't know today. So I would suggest I know that the- I know that the

2:49:44motions have been tabled, but the specific one around renovations, if I could speak to that for

2:49:48a moment and I do know Councillor Caitlin is bringing something forward, I want to give her

2:49:53that credit for looking to change that, I want to implement the renovation by-law.

2:50:01I want to implement it, I want to implement it right away. And I think we can do some other stuff

2:50:09later as add-ons and I'll let you as a council decide and debate that, but that's just my position.

2:50:14I'm just going to throw it out on the floor. I definitely want property standard fines to be

2:50:18increased for vacant dwellings. So hopefully we can get a memo on that. And when it comes to the

2:50:24vacancy, again, I might not be able to be here. I might have to go, but I am in favour of the 4%

2:50:31council knows that already. I'm in favour of that as well. I just want to also just indicate that

2:50:40the data has clearly shown that there isn't thousands of vacant dwellings, as some in the

2:50:49past have indicated, but it doesn't matter even if there's just one. I think when someone as a

2:50:55tenant goes through some of the stories that we heard at the microphone today and we've heard

2:51:00outside of the microphone, one person or 150 or 50 deserve some sort of a buffer that we can maybe

2:51:09provide at the municipal level. And finally, I want to acknowledge some of the delegations that

2:51:14have said that they recognize too that we are in a rock and a hard place here as municipalities.

2:51:20We're stepping into this space because we're kind of forced to. And I would hope that there is

2:51:25some love in the air for your council that we are doing. Hopefully, it's up to council here,

2:51:32but that we would step into this space at this time. I also have indicated to council and to

2:51:38the clerk's department of an amendment on number one that I would love to have tabled if I'm not

2:51:44here in regards to an information report that would come back. So I'll leave it to somebody else

2:51:49if they would wish to do that. Thank you very much, Madam Chair and to council. I will stay on

2:51:54the line as long as I can and I will follow along online later to see what the outcome was. So thank

2:52:02you very much. Thanks, Mayor Guthrie, for being here and for those comments. So I have a speaker's

2:52:07list of Councillor Gibson, Gowler, Busatil and Klassen. Councillor Gibson, the floor is yours

2:52:14and I'll add Kate. Thank you, through you, Chair. First of all, I'll add my voice to

2:52:21those wanting to expedite and speed up the implementation of a renovation by-law. I really

2:52:27see renovation by-law as a homelessness prevention and avoidance, even more so than a vacancy tax.

2:52:35So I'll just leave that with staff. I appreciate your recommendation and I appreciate the speed

2:52:41at which we're moving, but I would like to see it implemented as soon as we can. On the vacant home

2:52:47tax, I did have some questions that might lead to some amendments later on this month,

2:52:51specifically around the exemptions. Whenever we look at implementing a policy like this,

2:52:58I always think of the phone calls I might receive and I just want to throw out some

2:53:02scenarios here to staff and maybe this builds out the exemptions list, but I know that we're

2:53:07only talking primarily about 50 properties from the initial assessment, but it might be more.

2:53:12When it comes to additional dwelling units, ADUs, does that count as a residential property?

2:53:19Let's say my family and I, we decided to put it in an ADU, we put it in an additional dwelling

2:53:27unit in our backyard or into our basement and then decide we no longer need to rent and we take it

2:53:31off the market. Does that become a vacant home or is that still our residential, our primary residence?

2:53:41Through you, Chair, to Councillor Gibson. These are part of the program parameters that will be

2:53:47baked out as we move forward if approved by council. So,

2:53:56in that situation, it's a great question. One would probably assume that that would

2:54:03not be a vacant unit, but there may be situations where it is a vacant unit. So,

2:54:11we will look at those as we continue to bake out this process and put the full list of exemptions

2:54:20in place. Okay. And could I ask that those be included by the end of this month? I only ask

2:54:27this because I can hear the phone call now. Dan, we put in an ADU a few years ago. My parents are

2:54:35within three, four years of losing their house or needing to support. They're going to be moving in

2:54:40with us. So, it's been sitting vacant for two, three years and now the city wants to collect a

2:54:43vacant home tax on my additional dwelling unit. Like those are loopholes that are not major,

2:54:50but they do need to be accounted for. Is that clear?

2:54:57Yeah. Through you, Chair, to Councillor Gibson. Very clear, very much on our list of things to

2:55:02think about in program development and very not going to happen by the end of the month.

2:55:09Okay. So, how do I give myself peace of mind? Another example, I think I'm just going to go,

2:55:17I'm going to pull up the report page 17 looking specifically at the exemptions 183 days. Again,

2:55:24I'm not trying to get out of this. I want this implemented. I just want it done properly because

2:55:28I will field the phone call. Dan, I just took a six month work placement in Taiwan.

2:55:35I'm going to be leaving my apartment. I'm going to be leaving my residence vacant for

2:55:40six months. How do I make sure I stay off that vacant home tax list? Or, Dan, we own two properties

2:55:48in City of Guelph. My kids are off at university in two years time. They're going to come back and

2:55:53inhabit one, but the time being it's sitting vacant. How do we avoid, like I could go on and on and on,

2:56:00about why homes sit vacant? I'm looking through the exemptions here. I think they're good,

2:56:06but I want to make sure that we are targeting the characters and the people that we are intending to

2:56:12hit here and not, Dan, my son's at a four year program down in the US and when he comes home,

2:56:19he's going to inhabit the family home. But in the meantime, I'm just mulling the line and keeping

2:56:24it ready for him because his mother and I want to travel. How do we avoid those very real circumstances

2:56:33that are going to happen? Can I add, can I perhaps add some suggestions to your exemptions list by

2:56:40the end of the month? Again, I don't want to stop the process, but I also want to account for,

2:56:45I'll use one more example, sorry, just what I'm thinking, the two year exemption on if a family

2:56:52member passes away. Two years sounds like a lot of time, but when you are, and I've been through

2:56:58this process in the last five years, when you are dispositioning someone's estate, you're potentially

2:57:04going through 50 years, 60 years, 70 years worth of sort of capital gains taxes, probate.

2:57:14If there's, I mean, you didn't have a dispute, but if there's a family dispute, you're cleaning up

2:57:18for like two years. It doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it is, it is, it does not,

2:57:27I do not believe that that two years comfortably accommodates what it means to potentially

2:57:33disposition or settle in a state anymore, especially in this province with all the probate rules and

2:57:39especially if there's any kind of dispute. So I'm targeted, I'm looking at that saying I'm not

2:57:43sure two years is enough time to properly disposition a family from a residential unit of an in-laws or

2:57:50a parents. Like sometimes it takes longer than that. So those are just things that I'm looking at.

2:57:57I know it's not the intention to wind up collecting taxes from situations like that,

2:58:03but unless I see it sort of spelled out in the exemptions, I just, I'm fearful of the,

2:58:10of the phone calls that we'll all start receiving.

2:58:14Councillor Gibson, I rather than have staff answer that, if I may suggest that the

2:58:20the motion here tonight is to direct staff to draft a bylaw and all of those exemptions,

2:58:27all of those situational possibilities that you've just outlined would be part of the public

2:58:33engagement that would come back to council. If I could have staff just comment on how you would

2:58:38like to take this information and come back to council if the direction tonight is just to draft

2:58:44a bylaw and all the public consultation is still to come. Yes, through you,

2:58:52Chair, to you, Councillor Gibson, that that is the intent that the direction here is to

2:58:58have staff go back and to fully with support and resources draft the bylaw.

2:59:08The information within the report is very high level and very sparse from an exemption perspective.

2:59:15All of your comments have been noted and you know, mere some of the thoughts that we have had

2:59:23from a staff perspective working off the side of our desk to date as we have the right resources

2:59:29and move towards full program development and bylaw development, all of those will get baked

2:59:36in. Okay, thank you. So I'll just leave with those then. It seemed quite final when it said

2:59:42staff recommend the following exemptions and you listed out 10 or so clear exemptions there.

2:59:49I just felt like I need to speak into that a little bit because there's a lot of

2:59:53family dynamic incidences where that would change against the garden home waiting on in-laws to

2:59:58move in things like that. So maybe a takeaway from me two years to three years on the death

3:00:04in the family or someone heading into a hospital I think is reasonable. Living through that experience

3:00:10ourselves, it often takes two to three years minimum to settle the states. I can go back and

3:00:16forth with staff between now and the end of the month. Again, not while looking to stand in the

3:00:20way of the vacant home tax, just wanting to ensure that we are accommodating, you know,

3:00:25the honest actors out there that are just going through life in Guelph. My last question is this

3:00:35maybe it's not a question. It's a question. Staff are weighing the cost of a vacant home tax,

3:00:41$275,000 actively and in theory the 50 units that we are pursuing for this vacant home tax

3:00:50are going to rapidly decline. Hopefully they all all back onto the market offering a place to live

3:00:57for people. The $275,000 is it easier for us to incentivize 50 additional dwellings in the city

3:01:08or is it simpler for us to administer the vacant home tax? With $275,000 would it be easier for

3:01:21us to incentivize growing the rental market in Guelph or is the implementation of the vacant

3:01:29home tax an easier way to get these 50 units back on the market? Are you chair to Councillor Gibson?

3:01:37As we're aware we have a CIP in place to incent affordable housing within the city. So those

3:01:46incentives are already out there. I think the vacant home tax is a very different approach

3:01:54that directly addresses these vacant homes that we've heard about tonight in council.

3:02:04Okay that's the decision for us. I appreciate it for the next 20 minutes or so chair.

3:02:10Karen I'll be on phone only. I apologize but I am still present. Thank you.

3:02:20Councillor Goller and then Councillor Boussett. Thank you through Chair Caron to staff.

3:02:25First of all thank you for doing all this work. It's really good to have this come back to us.

3:02:32One of the things that the mayor said he made the difference about provincial legislation not

3:02:35allowing a rent eviction bylaw to be put in six plicks or more. Could you give us a little bit

3:02:42of an outline on that? I understand it from the conversation today. A rental replacement bylaw

3:02:48would allow us to manage those six plus units under a rent eviction bylaw would be for

3:02:55I guess one to five units. Could you clarify that please?

3:03:00Through you Chair Caron to Councillor Goller. So I think the clarification is a rent eviction

3:03:05bylaw would apply to any units. However it's a licensing process and doesn't have sort of the

3:03:15the legal agreement that goes along with what a rental replacement bylaw can have. So and a

3:03:21rental replacement bylaw applies to those for six or more. So that that is correct there but

3:03:29a rent eviction can apply across. Okay and that is through you Chair to

3:03:35Councillor Goller. I think the concept that was being discussed previously related to legislation

3:03:42was specifically related to vacant home tax. So the legislation only allows for vacant home tax of

3:03:51residentially property class properties. Thus seven units and more are not eligible

3:03:59because they're in the multi-res class. Okay okay so thank you for that Mr. Crutter. So then

3:04:08when if council does approve a vacant home tax we could enforce it up to a building with five

3:04:15units but say an apartment building with or up to six okay but then an apartment building with

3:04:2120 or 30 units we could not enforce a vacant home tax on the units in that building. Okay

3:04:28okay that is very helpful thank you. With regards to the the vacant home tax staff is

3:04:37recommending to do enforcement that is not without a mandatory registry. Could you could you

3:04:48help me understand some of the delegates said that you know we would have hydro information

3:04:53you know so by electricity by water use we would know by a large which units are vacant.

3:04:59If council supports the staff recommendation to do a vacant home tax that does not have mandatory

3:05:11requirements to for people to actually register would Byla use that information to actually

3:05:18know which units are largely vacant or not. Through you Madam Chair to Councillor Goller

3:05:28our current property standards by a lot of officers do have a running tally and inventory of what

3:05:35they believe to be vacant homes and that's something they assess annually so we have a list that

3:05:41they know of and we would also rely on any public input through our investigations to affirm that.

3:05:48Okay okay that is helpful and in terms of process I understand that the main difference between

3:05:55mandatory requirement and not having that is the cost right it would be significantly more

3:06:01expensive to have a program where we require landlords to to register their vacant homes.

3:06:09So through you Chair to Councillor Goller the administrative burden on a mandatory

3:06:17process is not only for that of the city and the staff but also administrative burden on the property

3:06:25owner themselves to declare on an annual basis so overall the costs are significantly higher

3:06:31with that. We feel that a complaint based system would be very beneficial from a starting point

3:06:40in wealth the costs to administer are reasonable and should be effective also.

3:06:49Okay okay I really appreciate that. If we do move with a complaint driven vacant home tax now

3:06:59how often would this be reviewed how you know how when would it come back to council for us to

3:07:06look see the results of having a complaint driven system and then council may make a decision at

3:07:15a later point to move to mandatory registration. Yeah through you Chair to Councillor Goller great

3:07:23question we'll be reporting to council on an annual basis and as always if council so chooses to go

3:07:30in a direction different for anything it is up to their preview. Okay okay thank you thank you very

3:07:36much I really appreciate that that that makes sense to me now the the recommendation is to develop

3:07:45a program and and if council for the vacant home tax and council may also wish today to

3:07:50give direction to develop a program for the the renovation the rental replacements if if council

3:07:56does give this direction to develop the vacant home tax and the other the renovation and the

3:08:01rental replacements what would be the timeline for staff to actually go out and do this work I know

3:08:07that there's dollar amounts attached to this for additional capacity when would we see that

3:08:13coming back to council for an actual decision to approve the the actual vacant home tax by-law.

3:08:23From a vacant home tax perspective if council was to approve this today or committee was to

3:08:30approve this today council was to approve it at the end of the month and the appropriate budget

3:08:34amendments were made we would be in a situation where we would be coming back to council end of Q2

3:08:43early in Q3

3:08:48I'm just trying to think of all of that how all that plays out into this next year but as soon

3:08:54as possible so that the program can start in 2026. And through the chair I will just add on a

3:09:03renovation by-law staff anticipated about a year's worth of work to bring it back to council

3:09:09and if given direction to also proceed with a rental replacement by-law once you've sort of

3:09:14seen the resources required that will get to you later this month. We also anticipate a similar

3:09:21timeline but obviously next year is a is a complex year from a scheduling perspective with an

3:09:26election in the fall so so I don't want to commit to a to a quarter but we think it's about a year's

3:09:31worth of work. Okay that is that is very helpful and to to be clear in with specifically the vacant

3:09:40home tax there would be public engagement or would you just go back look at what other municipalities

3:09:45have done and draft something based on what's happening elsewhere. So through the chair to

3:09:52Councillor Goller our intent was to utilize best practices with other municipalities as well as the

3:10:00discussions that are happening in a provincial working group and to you know move expeditiously

3:10:06to drafting that by-law. Okay okay I appreciate that so then you would be looking at best practices

3:10:13coming back to us if household were to to have the expectation of public engagement for this

3:10:19what would that mean for the timelines you mentioned that you could come as quickly as

3:10:24end of Q2 2026 with a vacant home tax but that's that's without doing public engagement.

3:10:33Through the chair correct. Okay so so then seeing us in it's an election year next year I think we

3:10:39really don't make decisions after Q2 so then that would mean that if we do have that expectation of

3:10:44greater public engagement the decision would be pushed off until Q1 2027 is that is that fair to say?

3:10:52Yeah it would be fair to say that there would be the expenses for the program in 26 but probably

3:10:59not the revenue from the program until 27. Okay okay thank you very much. My last question to

3:11:05you chair Caron with regards to to the the cost and the revenue for the vacant home tax program

3:11:13there is money that is being requested from to develop the program but then after that year over

3:11:21year would the program pay for itself or would it be an additional operating budget line because

3:11:27there is a recommendation that we put the proceeds into the affordable housing reserve

3:11:31would that be into the affordable housing reserve minus the cost to operate is that is that correct?

3:11:37Through the chair to Councillor Gullard correct any excess revenue on top of the expenses would go

3:11:44to the affordable housing reserve as currently drafted there could be scenarios where if the

3:11:53program is successful and it turns out that it drives to no vacant homes within Guelph we would

3:12:03have to then look at that and scale back obviously the cost of the program otherwise it would have

3:12:10to be borne by the the tax base itself as indicated in the report perfect that is very helpful thank you

3:12:17so much thank you chair thank you Councillor Gullard I'm going to move um Mayor Guthrie up the

3:12:21speaker's list just because I know he has to go and then followed by Councillor Busuttil.

3:12:29Thank you chair Caron thank you everyone especially Councillor Busuttil who I'm

3:12:33leapfrogging in front of so thank you this will be my last question that I am going to have to go

3:12:38I'm sorry something just jumped out at me a year a year to do this I'm sorry I just I need to I need

3:12:47that an answer on that I do not understand is it a year because of our engagement processes

3:12:57is that what is that what's going to take that long through you Councillor Kront,

3:13:07Mayor Guthrie I'm just going to speak to the renovation piece in terms of the timeline there

3:13:12and then hand it over to Mr Crowder in terms of the year timeline it would be what we're

3:13:17estimating and what is consistent with other municipalities is six months to draft the bylaw

3:13:24and then six months to implement is the timeline that that we're working with through the chair

3:13:31we've heard from Mr Godfrey who's who's remote with us there are considerations right hiring of

3:13:37staff getting them on boarded up to speed engagement is about a three month process as part of the

3:13:43development of this work and so we really do think a year start to finish is very realistic.

3:13:51Okay what have you heard from our conversation to date that would require you to take up to a year

3:14:01to have this implemented other than what you just mentioned about staff engagement bringing up to speed

3:14:08that is different from the other cities that already have this in place I do I do not understand why

3:14:17we cannot I mean look sorry but like last I don't know last June or July or whatever I forget

3:14:23when this information report came out originally I asked for it to come to council I think it came

3:14:28in like September or October of last year and at that time I mean we we could have just copied

3:14:35Kitchener as an example or copied another city and at the time we as a council said okay we're

3:14:43we're not going to move forward with it because we want staff to look into it or whatever and

3:14:46that's that's all fair that was council direction um so now we're a year later and you've done really

3:14:53great work on the reasons why you don't think we should move forward on it so I but the will of

3:14:59council here is I believe fully wanting just like we just need to implement this maybe the rental um

3:15:06I'm sorry what's it called the rental replacement companion thing could come a little bit later

3:15:11but I do not understand why we cannot just copy and paste some of this stuff from other cities

3:15:17that we have consistently brought up for over a year that we could just get done so I would love

3:15:23to know either now in an answer or by the end of the month in a memo what can we do to just get

3:15:28this done so I don't have another Daniel walk to the microphone again in the future or 50 Daniels

3:15:36that are going to be looking for huge problems that they're experiencing I think we have to step

3:15:41in this space immediately and I want to know how we can get it done immediately through the through

3:15:47the chair I think just a quick point of clarification because I don't want there to be any misunderstanding

3:15:52and this is a complicated world that we're navigating here Kitchener does not have a process in

3:15:57place yet they do not have a renovation bylaw in place their staff are still working on one

3:16:02and and well past a year that they're they've been back and forth contemplating what that could look

3:16:08like so there are you know there are others who are in this process as well to the mayor's comments

3:16:15we're happy to take that away we'll add it to the memo on what potentially accelerating this could

3:16:19look like there are IT implications staffing it's it's it's a new process an entirely new service

3:16:27that we're looking at standing up and so that requires some cross departmental collaboration

3:16:32so we'll add it to the memo for council's consideration that we're okay in madame chair as

3:16:36madame chair this is a follow-up I would appreciate in the memo an answer to what it would take to

3:16:42implemented by q1 next year okay thank you okay thank you memo is getting longer and longer

3:16:51councillor Busuttil you are next and then clausen and katyn is there anyone else who

3:16:56wants to speak or ask questions on the matter okay councillor thank you and through you madame

3:17:02chair thank you to the mayor that was one of my questions for staff as well and I think just

3:17:08looking at the video camera here lots of councillors nodding their heads saying we want to

3:17:14move this ahead so thank you for raising that and one of my questions was specifically on page 15

3:17:19of the report where there is an all an alternate motion it says by 2026 and it's got the cost in

3:17:29there and the report talks about the same section the deferral of the work on the rental e scooter

3:17:36and so on so staff has seemed to consider that and I was really struggling to understand

3:17:42and the mayor got to it um any more barriers is it is it and it's going to come at the end of

3:17:48the month now so I don't have to ask that question I do have a question about the vacant home tax page

3:17:5517 at the bottom this is around the mandatory declaration and the complaint base and in the

3:18:02complaint base it talks about you know you're going to submit a tip to the municipality of a

3:18:07suspected vacant property with and then it says with an option for self declaration I was wondering

3:18:14is there a cart before the horse kind of thing so the city announces we're going to do a complaint

3:18:19base vacant home tax is there an option for me to put my hand up right at the very beginning and say

3:18:25hey I want to self declare or do does someone have to complain about me and go through the

3:18:32investigation and the process and my last question on that item is is there a consequence if I if

3:18:39there's an option for self declaration and I have not taken advantage of self-declaring

3:18:48so through the chair to Councillor Boussadiel a great question there will be an option for

3:18:52self declaration and this will come out in the program development as well we have heard from

3:19:02those that have mandatory declarations that property owners don't usually put their hand up

3:19:11you know they're they are done through yes some do but through the audit process from a perspective

3:19:20of you know ensuring that the system has the right checks and balances in place too so we'll be

3:19:28working as to what that self declaration looks like if we provide penalties in advance and all

3:19:36of those types of things to ensure the the relative fairness as well because without a mandatory

3:19:45declaration program where everybody gets a mandatory notice their main one may say that

3:19:51the property owner didn't know they needed to declare too so we have to balance the

3:19:56I'll call it the fairness from that perspective thank you madam chair that's it okay thank you

3:20:03councillor classon yes thank you through you chair to staff I have a question with regard to

3:20:11um the program costs for the renovation by-law so since we don't necessarily know the scope of the

3:20:18problem I'm just curious do we is two new permanent staff and two part-time staff is that

3:20:26is that a lot or is that not enough like I'm just curious like where that that came from

3:20:31and and secondly like with that that 311 000 that wouldn't necessarily apply straight away in in

3:20:392026 or we would have to wait until the the by-laws were written before you could hire and train

3:20:47the all those four people through you madam chair um to councillor classon the staff numbers and

3:20:55those figures were used from the implementation early implementation of Hamilton so that's where

3:21:01those numbers were downscaled for our own purposes um as for the second portion of that if we were

3:21:08given the direction to go forward with this we could proactively start to hire for additional

3:21:13staff and look at what that could look like uh proactively so that as we're working on the

3:21:18by-law and implementation implementation with IT and our licensing department we could try to get

3:21:24some of those steps in place to try to fast track it as fast as possible um can I just uh I'm just

3:21:30going to uh jump in here as well um I just wanted to just given where the conversation's going about

3:21:37reporting back at the end of the month on on the acceleration um just from my perspective

3:21:44I wanted to just bring us back to some of the delegations and how compelling the statements

3:21:50were in terms of this new business and kind of the the level of work this is going to be uh insensitive

3:21:56work with with uh in the education uh like public education communication kind of like the customer

3:22:04service aspect of this too is we're going to be getting into a whole new line of business um and

3:22:09I would say that at this point um I don't believe our estimates on the cost have considered the legal

3:22:17and and technology aspects of this as well so we really do need to take this away in terms of what

3:22:23the cost looks like what does it look like on an accelerated basis versus kind of like the development

3:22:28of the bylaw through 2026 like the original kind of um thinking that went into those numbers so

3:22:34I would just appreciate um a little bit of time on that I think we do need to take this away as

3:22:38as a kind of cross departmental uh lens um and I do feel like the the delegations here tonight

3:22:44really or this afternoon have really helped I think inform also some of the thinking around

3:22:50what the program developments could all look like so just wanted to add that to uh to the uh

3:22:55conversation today thank you thank you I mean I think that is helpful and um knowing that

3:23:04the conversation will be refined by the end of the month will be helpful as well so thank you for

3:23:08that additional context um I have another question which is also a bit of a comment I was quite if

3:23:17that's okay I was quite surprised to hear from what the delegate uh from legal aid that half of the

3:23:23N13's came from corporations um so my question is and I know it's in the report but I just wanted to

3:23:31ask publicly what what is the difference between an individual fine and a corporation fine could

3:23:37you speak a little bit to that or is that something also that's going to be developed

3:23:40or could you speak maybe anecdotally to being what's done in other the other communities that have

3:23:47bylaws in place it was for staff thank you

3:24:01through uh chair caron to cancer class and so I can speak to um in terms of what Hamilton

3:24:08London and Toronto um how they've broken down individual fines um versus corporate fines um and

3:24:15so just bear with me as I go through some numbers um so for Hamilton for example there's individual

3:24:20fines between $500 and $10,000 um corporately it would be $500 to $50,000 would be some fines

3:24:28for London it would be um they do it a little bit differently for individual fines it's $25,000

3:24:34for the first time and then $550,000 for any any follow-up um fines that are placed corporately

3:24:42$50,000 for the first time and $100,000 for the second or any follow-ups and finally for Toronto

3:24:49it's $10,000 a day to a maximum of $100,000 fine okay thank you and through you chair then my question

3:24:58is will we be looking at a range like this uh for for our bylaw um through cancer through chair

3:25:05caron to cancer class and um yes I think that's part of the the reason why we we can't just sort

3:25:11of take another municipalities um renovation bylaw and put it right into into Guelph we we do need

3:25:18some time to think about what's best for a made in Guelph um type of renovation bylaw and that

3:25:23would be one of the situations that we do would be needing to think through okay thank you and I

3:25:29do also just want to acknowledge that I think a number of the written correspondence also requested

3:25:34higher fines for corporations um and um that's all my questions everyone else ask my other questions

3:25:43it has been a very comprehensive afternoon uh we have one more speaker for questions it's

3:25:49Councillor caton and then we'll start working towards uh separating the motions and and getting

3:25:53to the work of decision-making thank you through you uh chair caron all of my questions were asked

3:26:01by other councillors so if come back at me for the motions and uh I'm good on questions I have

3:26:08some comments during my motion great any other questions from members of council seeing none I

3:26:14want to thank staff for for all of this information thank you I'm as big for actually um synthesizing

3:26:20it all about the scope of the work and the importance of what we're doing this is a new

3:26:26direction for us we've said for years and years we're not in the housing business as a municipal

3:26:31government that is downloading from the province and that's not our business it is our business

3:26:36because it's at our doorstep it's impacting our residents and we're taking this on that comes with

3:26:40challenges it comes with resource impacts so thank you for framing that we're going to move to

3:26:45the motions which have been moved and seconded um we'll go to the very first motion which is just

3:26:50that staff be directed to continue to advocate to the province we did have a suggested um amendment

3:26:57on that motion from Mayor Guthrie that came through our email is anyone uh interested in

3:27:02placing that amendment on the floor I've got a mover through councillor Goller do we have a

3:27:07seconder councillor Allt is going to second that amendment um that was sent to clerk so I wonder

3:27:13if we could get that on the screen um in bold and councillor Goller can you can you read that out

3:27:18for us for uh those at home who may not be able to see the screen through you chair that staff be

3:27:24directed to continue to advocate to the province for legislative changes to the residential tenancies

3:27:30act to ensure that the issues of renovations is being addressed consistently across Ontario

3:27:36and this is the addition and that if changes occur staff be directed to inform council through an

3:27:42information report of any applicable impacts okay do we have any questions or comments on this

3:27:49amendment seeing none we're just going to vote on the amendment is there anyone opposed to the

3:27:55amendment seeing none that amendment carries we're going to move on to the second motion

3:28:02which is uh related to the implementation of a renovation bylaw

3:28:10we're going to vote on the whole at uh at the end we're going to deal with amendments first is that

3:28:17that's good okay so we have we have one amendment to clause one um clause two I understand we have

3:28:22an amendment on this one as well so I believe that's where we're heading back to councillor

3:28:27katin on um clause number two sorry thank you for point of order I might be I just I just I

3:28:34I actually having seen the motion is is it I think it's contrary to this emotion so I don't know I

3:28:39maybe just check with the clerks do we need to vote down the recommended motion in order are we

3:28:44talking about um number two two okay we haven't heard the amendment yet so as soon as I've heard

3:28:50the amendment then we'll review whether it is contrary to the motion I did seek the advice

3:28:57of clerk so I'll wait until that amendment's on the floor and then we'll make that ruling

3:29:03over to councillor Caton I believe who has an amendment on number two thank you my amendment

3:29:09is that clause two be replaced with that staff be directed to begin development of a framework for

3:29:14a reinviction bylaw and rental replacement bylaw in 2026 subject to the inclusion of $311,000

3:29:21in estimated expenditures in the 2026 budget update and I have comments once we rule whether

3:29:31or not it's in order and I believe it was going to be seconded by councillor boostall okay I do have

3:29:40is someone councillor downer is challenging that as contrary so I did have I'm just saying I

3:29:47I just don't know whether what order we're working in here I just want to make sure we're doing that

3:29:51right I'm not I'd like an opinion from the clerk I'm supportive of the motion the amendment but I

3:29:57just want to make sure we get it sure you know for the sake of process and for for everyone to hear

3:30:04what we're discussing I did seek advice from the clerk so if the clerk would like to weigh in on

3:30:09whether it's contrary or is it complementary through you madam chair my advice to the chair is

3:30:16that the motion is not contrary to the original motion that was moved okay and my understanding

3:30:21of that advice is because it doesn't substantially change the staff recommendation because it doesn't

3:30:28direct staff to cease the work and we're reestablishing a different timeline and a different

3:30:34scope but it is it is not contrary because it's still moving the work forward so

3:30:41we'll let that amendment stand any comments or questions on the amendment

3:30:45councillor Allt or sorry councillor caton still has the floor because we're still speaking to the

3:30:50amendment and then councillor Allt and let me know if there's any other questions on this one

3:30:57thank you through you chair so I just wanted to because we were talking a lot about costs

3:31:02in our next agenda item we have the proposal for a million one hundred and seventeen thousand

3:31:09dollars approximately for four units and two million two hundred and eighty thousand eighty

3:31:15nine thousand for eight units and our estimate for this is three hundred and eleven thousand

3:31:22for six to six months to a year to potentially protect nineteen thousand three hundred and

3:31:29eighty five rental units as listed in the affordable housing strategy from bad faith

3:31:35renovations so I don't think we really need a money for value audit to know that this is a really good

3:31:40value in terms of protection given the cost and the mayor originally brought this to council in

3:31:47september 2024 and at the time he had been talking about wanting a full draft by mid 2025 so here we

3:31:55are at the end of 2025 I don't think that it's unreasonable to for us to wish for a faster

3:32:04process on this given that we've got a lot of bylaws in neighboring communities I think that

3:32:10it's the implementation that would take a little bit longer but I feel that we can get to a bylaw

3:32:15pretty quickly I know that the folks at brandtab the victoria road and some of the things I've

3:32:20heard about on cedar street would agree people have already been renovicted and some didn't go to

3:32:27court there's a lot of people who just can't afford to wait anymore we are as we heard one of the

3:32:32worst many municipalities for rising rental costs we need this more than any other city in ontario

3:32:40I think that it's not acceptable to wait for another year to two years to get this implemented

3:32:48when it's affecting people right now it costs us more to feed and house people once they are

3:32:53renovicted than it does to get this bylaw implemented so that we can have rental protections be in

3:33:00place given that the system is inadequate to really help people in the way that they need thank you

3:33:09thank you uh councillor Allt thank you very much chair Caron first of all I wish to thank

3:33:15councillor caton for bringing this forward on the backs of what what mayor guthrie has been stating

3:33:22I do want to make it very clear that wealth is in the enviable position of having the advantage of

3:33:29late market entry if you will this does not have to be completely made in wealth plagiarism in this

3:33:36case is the highest form of flattery we can borrow on what hamilton has done we can seek

3:33:42to use that as a template and to improve those kinds of concerns that we might have and yet I

3:33:49acknowledge staff's concerns however if we don't have the bylaw first as an article of faith with

3:33:55the community where many people are victims of rent eviction we don't have implementation

3:34:00and implementation might I acknowledge be a bit of a challenge but we can deal with that if we have

3:34:06the bylaw if we delay the bylaw we have no implementation and so as a consequence we must

3:34:13put this forward and I trust in both staff and council to be reasonable if we put it forward

3:34:20on the time frame proposed by councillor caton okay thank you any other comments on this or

3:34:29questions um can we have the amendment to clause two back up on the screen

3:34:41because it is the wording is different than the the one that is currently on the floor so it would

3:34:49be a replacement of the one that's currently on the floor with with this language that is

3:34:57dealing with the timing um and the expenditures so we'll call the vote on this seeing no another

3:35:05no other hands up is anyone opposed to this amended clause two seeing none that amendment carries

3:35:13so we're moving on to clause three where we have another amendment coming forward from

3:35:19councillor Goller so you've got the floor um through your chair I would like to move the

3:35:26staff you're directed to draft a complaint based vacant home bylaw for council approval with a

3:35:31vacant home tax rate of 4 percent subject to the inclusion of 275 thousand in estimated expenditures

3:35:38and estimated program revenues based on a 4 tax rate in the 2026 budget update and I'll look for

3:35:45a second there councillor councillor pass it thank you um we've heard from a lot of delegates

3:35:53that that 4 percent makes sense we've spoken with staff their intention with the 2 percent was cost

3:36:00recovery but I do like that by going to four four percent we both make it more a greater incentive

3:36:07for those folks to that are not using their properties to dispose of them or put them in the

3:36:13market and any revenue would go to the affordable housing reserve I did hear from from delegates

3:36:20questions about how to access that affordable housing reserve I think we can definitely provide

3:36:25more information but I I think this is a good direction for us to take this month thank you

3:36:29any questions or comments on this amendment councillor classon yes I just wanted to say

3:36:37thank you to councillor Goller for bringing this forward it is something that we heard from

3:36:40delegates but also um from the community and um you know I heard that you know it needs to be punitive

3:36:48we want it to be unattractive um because we need these units open and available on the market

3:36:55and um so that's all thank you great thanks um seeing no other hands up we're going to call

3:37:01the vote on this amendment oh I see count um mayor guthrie is back in the frame he's changed his

3:37:06background but he's back it's a real background it's a real background everybody arrived just in

3:37:12time yeah thank you I just wanted to say that I'm in favor of this I think those that are outside of

3:37:21the exemptions need to have this in place however in regards to the exemptions I did want to just

3:37:30recognize that I thought the councillor Gibson raised several good points I think they were valid so

3:37:36whenever we get that exemption list together I think we do have to have another discussion as a

3:37:41council around the specifics on that but for those that fall outside of the exemption list whatever

3:37:48that exemption list finally ends up being um as councillor quas and just said I think this has

3:37:54got to hurt because you can't just be sitting on available units for people I completely disagree

3:38:01with that outcome so thank you very much for bringing this forward great thank you uh so we'll

3:38:09I call the vote on amended clause 3 um any one against we also have I believe councillor

3:38:17chiu uh by telephone so councillor Chew if you can hear me if you have uh if you want to vote against

3:38:25please put yourself on audio so we can recognize the gains otherwise hearing no other no votes

3:38:31against I'm going to call that vote carried just for clarity I'm in support I'm still here I apologize

3:38:36okay okay thanks councillor Gibson didn't didn't realize you were still there so thank you for

3:38:41letting us know that um you're supporting that so that amendment is carried okay so we have three

3:38:48amended motions um on this agenda item so unless anyone wants them separated we'll vote on the

3:38:56amended package of motions one through three no separations okay we'll vote on the amended motions

3:39:04one two and three anyone against seeing none those all carry thank you so much thank you to the

3:39:11delegates thank you to staff um we look forward to the information report uh before the end of the

3:39:16month and uh we have one additional item so we have along the same theme of affordable housing

3:39:25we do have a staff report uh and a staff presentation on advancing affordable housing on city owned

3:39:32properties um so Dawson McKenzie uh staff member is going to come forward um and while you're

3:39:39getting ready Mr. McKenzie uh anyone from the gallery who wants to head out and continue with

3:39:45their day and we'll uh we'll hear your presentation welcome I don't think we have seen you presenting

3:40:15uh before council uh before this is your first time oh it's not okay no it's not

3:40:20okay um well good evening now chair Caron and mayor Guthrie if you're still on the line and

3:40:29progressive council my name is Dawson McKenzie I'm a planner too with the community and affordable

3:40:36housing team at the city and I'm here today to talk about advancing affordable housing in the city

3:40:43specifically on two city owned properties so today I'm really going to be talking about two

3:40:53interrelated items on how the city can advance affordable housing development

3:40:58one is the city's overall role in delivering affordable housing and the second is how we can

3:41:04apply that potentially broader role to two specific city owned sites the work before you stems from

3:41:12strategic policy and planning work that has been completed in the past two years this includes

3:41:18the city's approved 10-year housing affordability strategy which recommended two specific actions

3:41:25related to today's report the first being to evaluate the city's role in getting more affordable

3:41:30housing built beyond providing funding and incentives in order to develop a housing model that will get

3:41:37more affordable housing built faster throughout the city and the second action being to review any

3:41:45city owned land assets to decide if housing can be built on them in addition to these two actions

3:41:52laid out in the housing affordability strategy mayoral direction b3 from april 2024 also directed

3:42:00staff to identify underutilized city owned assets for the purpose of building additional housing in

3:42:06the community specifically the mayoral direction outlined the preference for sites that could be

3:42:12redeveloped quickly further review on these actions and the financial and legal implications

3:42:20is ongoing and will be brought back to council in a future report however the projects identified

3:42:27in the report today are a timely opportunity to explore an expanded role in delivering affordable

3:42:33housing consistent with our council approved strategies and mayoral directions while also

3:42:40reducing the risk to city budgets through the use of the housing accelerator fund so staff have

3:42:52done a high level review of the potential delivery options that the city could pursue to deliver

3:42:58affordable housing and as i just mentioned a more detailed and fulsome analysis on the financial

3:43:03and legal implications of these options will be completed and brought back to council in a future

3:43:09report the current status quo is option number one where the city provides subsidies or disposes

3:43:16of our land for affordable housing this can be seen through our affordable housing community

3:43:21improvement plans or through our project located at 14 edinburgh road where we are transferring

3:43:28city owned lands to non-profit housing provider for affordable housing option number two could

3:43:35see the city engage in development through maintaining ownership of its land asset and

3:43:39providing that land to a developer through a land lease agreement this could be beneficial in large

3:43:46scale projects where complex development would benefit from the efficiencies and speed of the

3:43:51private sector while giving the city an opportunity to ensure the lands are maintained in public

3:43:57ownership this gives this gives the city more control over the potential development and level

3:44:03of affordability the third option is where the city would maintain ownership of the land

3:44:10and develop the housing ourselves and then lease the units to an affordable housing operator such

3:44:17as the county or a non-profit organization this option could be available on smaller scale projects

3:44:24and is the option recommended for the two properties in front of you today option four is

3:44:31very similar to option three but it takes it one step further and this would see the city own

3:44:37develop and operate affordable housing this option is not recommended as it would require

3:44:44significant staffing resources it is better suited for the county or non-profits to deliver

3:44:58so to be involved in the delivery of affordable housing there are different options to finance

3:45:03particular project one option would be to include the funding to would be to include funding the

3:45:10project outright where the city provides the capital required to build the entirety of the project

3:45:17a second a second option would be to find a partner to share in the capital funding requirements

3:45:22where the city provides a portion of the capital and the partner provides the remaining capital

3:45:27for example through the county's Ontario priorities housing initiative or OFE program

3:45:34a third and more traditional option would be for the city to fund an equity portion of the project

3:45:40and seek debt financing from CMHC or a traditional lender for the remaining mortgage

3:45:47it's important to note that the financing of delivering affordable housing will likely vary by

3:45:52project especially where the city engages in more complex and capital intent intensive developments

3:46:00as we continue to move forward into more potential developments we will continue to work with finance

3:46:05staff on a project by project basis to determine the best funding option especially as it pertains

3:46:11to the potential in pursuing debt funding from CMHC and the impact to our overall debt strategy for

3:46:18the city and as I mentioned previously we will be completing a more fulsome review of the overall

3:46:27financial implications through the future work on impacts of an expanded role in delivering

3:46:33affordable housing for the projects in front of you today option one for funding is recommended

3:46:45so for the projects located at five normandy drive and 70s view road we are recommending option three

3:46:52for delivery and option one for funding for a few specific reasons maintaining ownership of the

3:47:00building while using our housing accelerator fund money to fund the project gives the city a unique

3:47:06opportunity to begin to begin testing out this new model while limiting the financial impact on

3:47:12the city's capital budget this has the opportunity for us to develop a potentially revenue generating

3:47:19asset while delivering an important and identified community need affordable housing any revenues

3:47:26that may be generated through this development would be put back into the affordable housing

3:47:31reserve fund which could then potentially be used for other affordable housing projects

3:47:38this is really the start of trying to make a financially sustainable way to deliver affordable

3:47:43housing in the city and the opportunity present is made possible through the use of the housing

3:47:49accelerator fund funding the projects through half also prevents the city from requiring debt

3:47:57financing for the project which both prevents impacts to the city's debt strategy but also

3:48:02importantly gives us more flexibility when choosing a future lease partner for operating the

3:48:09building and this is due to not having to cover debt obligations on the project so as you can see

3:48:22in front of you in this slide in the next slide where there are some very preliminary site concepts

3:48:29and we want to make it very clear that these are preliminary and that each project still requires

3:48:35minor planning applications and building permits which are in general an iterative process leading

3:48:41up to the final approved plans for building this is likely to result in something somewhat different

3:48:48than what you see on the screen in front of you today but these were demonstrate or were prepared

3:48:55to demonstrate that the building and the potential parking could fit on site

3:49:00both of the sites the one in front of you here and the next slide contain city infrastructure

3:49:06which is something that we won't be able to change and something that significantly limits the site's

3:49:11ability to be disposed of when we consider maintaining ownership of the lands and the building

3:49:17though this helps us to unlock these lands through the co-location of housing and infrastructure

3:49:25these site concepts were designed using cmhc's fourplex designs the building footprint is to

3:49:32scale on the concepts the cmhc fourplex contains two one-bedroom units one two-bedroom unit and

3:49:39one three-bedroom unit one of the one-bedroom units is a fully accessible unit and this provides

3:49:47for a mix of both family sized units and accessible units on this slide you can see the city infrastructure

3:49:55located on the site being the stormwater gravity main which runs along the edge of the property in

3:50:01green both this site and the next and the next slide seven east you were selected due to their

3:50:08low density rl one zoning through the planning we're completed in the last year four units is

3:50:15permitted on low density lots and because of this these sites were selected due to their ability to

3:50:21be developed with few planning approval requirements resulting in a potentially faster delivery time

3:50:32so here in front of you now you have seven east view road and for seven east view the site is very

3:50:38fairly large because of that the proposed strategy would be to sever the property into two lots

3:50:45both containing fourplexes so an eight units total this limits the required planning applications

3:50:52due to four units being permitted on low density lots as a freight currently a water testing

3:51:00well is located in the center of the property you can kind of see it in light gray on the image

3:51:06ideally this site could be designed around the well however if not the well would be decommissioned

3:51:13and then recommissioned somewhere else on site ultimately as i mentioned earlier these sites

3:51:25are really unlocked by maintaining ownership of the lands and buildings on site due to the

3:51:32infrastructure located on the properties we'd be unable to dispose of or transfer the raw land to

3:51:37deliver affordable housing if we are unable to move these properties forwards it's highly likely

3:51:44that they will continue to be used as they currently are our next steps to delivering housing on these

3:51:51sites is to draft and release a request for proposals for design and build services for the

3:51:57for the proposed fourplexes we would also be drafting an expression of interest for interested

3:52:03affordable housing operators this would give us an an opportunity to understand the interest in

3:52:09the community for the lease of the units and more information on how potential operators

3:52:13might propose to operate the sites when looking for a partner we'll be evaluating operators based

3:52:22on many factors and one of these is affordability at this time we will be looking for a partner

3:52:29who's filling the gap identified by our housing affordability strategy which is just below the

3:52:34market range identified by the province through the provincial bulletin our housing affordability

3:52:40strategy has identified a gap of 8700 units over 10 years in this range and and though this target