Quinte West City Council has unanimously passed a motion to send a letter to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as well as a registered letter to Bedford Properties advocating for the tenants of four Trenton apartment buildings facing “renoviction.”
This after public input from the Hands Off Our Homes Quinte West group asking the city for their support in the fight against the landlord.
Bedford Properties has been handing out “renoviction notices” for upgrades and repairs in the units to tenants in four Trenton apartment buildings on Sidney Street.
Tenants were given N9s and N13s where they could choose to either leave the property by July 31 or take a lump sum payment of $4,000 to leave by May 31.
Many of the tenants in the buildings say they are on fixed incomes and it is some of the last affordable housing in the region.
Official eviction notices still have to go through the Landlord Tenant Board, but the tenants of the building are banding together to fight against it.
“We, as tenants, don’t argue with the fact that a landlord has the ability to renovate a property,” Shannon Lawrence of the Hands Off Our Homes Quinte West group tells council.
“Where the issue comes in is when they say they need the unit to be vacated for a total of seven months to renovate it.”
Hands Off Our Homes Quinte West’s Shannon Lawrence speaking with council asking for support in fight against Bedford Properties. April 19, 2023. (Photo: Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)
So far approximately 20% of residents at the apartment buildings have received notices that they will need to vacate for upgrades and renovations by Bedford Properties which purchased the buildings in February.
Lawrence says many of the residents pay their rent on time, and everyone belongs in the community.
In a notice obtained by Quinte News, the reason marked was for “repairs or renovations so extensive that I am required to get a building permit and the rental unit must be vacant to do the work.”
It was noted during the council meeting by Director of Planning and Development Services, Brian Jardine, that at the time of the council meeting, there was no building permit submitted by Bedford Properties.
“One of the disconcerting things as well was Bedford Properties claiming the buildings have been in disrepair for many years,” Lawrence told council.
“Everyone sitting at the council table knows that previous owner, Klemencic Builders Properties, are some of the finest in the area, well maintained and looked after over the years.”
The group had asked council to pass a motion to remove the use of N13s for the purpose of “renovictions.”
“No system is perfect obviously and the Ontario government has introduced Bill 97 to attempt to strengthen tenants’ rights, but until the use of N13s is removed or makes it not financially viable for a landlord to use, many in the province will continue to fight the battle we are in,” Lawrence said.
However, Chief Administrative Officer David Clazie said that the municipality does not have the power to address property matters.
“There was a by-law passed by a municipality in British Columbia a couple of years ago but part of the difference there is the way BC operates and their laws and how they established municipalities in BC is different than here in Ontario,” Clazie explained to council.
“Unfortunately, municipalities in Ontario don’t have the same powers when it comes to property matters such as this as they do in BC.”
Clazie said that other municipalities in Ontario have looked into the issue and come to the same conclusion.
Many councillors expressed their support for the tenants in their fight against Bedford Properties.
“People that have left and taken the $4,000, they have been vacated and now that rent is jacked up,” Councillor Duncan Armstrong said of the situation.
“There’s been no renovations at all. My personal view is that their renovations that are going on are token gestures to show ‘Hey, we are renovating’ but that’s to me smoke and mirrors, personally.”
Councillor David McCue, who introduced the motion to have a letter written about Trenton apartment buildings, expressing his support for the tenants. April 19, 2023. (Photo: Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)
Councillor David McCue, who put forward the motion to have a letter written, says that council was on the side of the tenants.
“It’s just unfortunate as a municipality, we don’t have the powers to step in and help you,” McCue said.
“But we’re here with you, you are friends, you are neighbours, you are citizens of the city, we represent you. Again, we’re 110 per cent behind you.”
It was later determined to have the letter addressed to MPP Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, with MPP Todd Smith copied on it, after it was brought forward by Councillor Shelley Stedall.
Councillor Don Kuntze also suggested a registered letter be sent to Bedford Properties to ensure that the letter be received by the company and to allow them to comment on the situation.
The City of Quinte West says it has attempted multiple times to reach a representative of the company to no avail.
Quinte News has also made multiple attempts to speak with representatives from Bedford Properties, but has not received a response.
The motion was passed unanimously.
