Kitchener City Council to Vote on Renoviction Bylaw on Monday

The City of Kitchener is considering a new bylaw aimed at regulating renovictions, where tenants are evicted for renovations and often face increased rents upon return. The proposal addresses concerns about tenants being priced out of their rentals following such evictions. Waterloo Region ACORN, a local tenant union, has advocated for the bylaw since June 2023.

City council will vote on the bylaw during a meeting on Monday. The measure passed through the finance and corporate services committee last week with a 5-3 vote in favor. A report presented to the committee last month outlined the proposed rules, which would take effect in January 2027 if approved.

Under the proposed bylaw, landlords would need to obtain a license from the city when issuing an N13 notice to tenants for renovations that require the unit to be vacant. This process would apply to situations where tenants must leave during construction work. The requirement aims to provide oversight for such evictions.

Jacquie Wells, chair of the local chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, commented on the development. >"We're excited to have this finally happening. It's been exhausting," said Jacquie Wells, chair of the local chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN.

"We're also just determined as ever to get this bylaw passed and get a good bylaw passed. " Wells noted that ACORN hopes the bylaw will include tenant compensation, similar to measures in the City of Waterloo. Waterloo passed its renoviction bylaw in January and added provisions for landlords to cover moving costs and rent differences during renovations.

ACORN has been pressuring Kitchener council to adopt comparable protections. During the committee meeting in March, the mayor raised concerns about the potential costs of providing tenant supports during renovations. The mayor stated that such requirements could make renovations too expensive, possibly leading landlords to avoid necessary work and leaving units in substandard conditions.

These concerns were discussed as part of the committee's review. The vote on Monday will determine whether the bylaw proceeds to implementation. If passed, it would affect landlords and tenants in Kitchener by introducing new regulatory steps for renovation-related evictions.

The city has not yet detailed enforcement mechanisms beyond the licensing requirement.