There’s one meeting already planned for this week, so why not two? And like the other meeting, which is the planning meeting, there one has to do with housing too. Picking up where we left off from last fall, council will make a move to implement a vacant home tax, a renoviction bylaw, and a rent replacement bylaw. Will these projects meeting council’s expectations, or will it be back to the drawing board for these long in-demand measures? Let’s dig into the agenda.
NOTE #1: Delegates will be able to appear at this meeting in-person or via tele-presense but you do have to register with the clerks office before 10 am on Friday June 5. You can also submit written delegations and correspondences for agenda items.
NOTE #2: In addition to meeting in-person, this meeting will also be live-streamed on the City of Guelph’s website here.
Affordable Housing Policy Program: Vacant Home Tax By-Law – Back in November, council approved sending staff away to develop a four per cent vacant home tax, and this is the result. According to staff, the proposed bylaw would apply to homes unoccupied for more than 183 days so long as they don’t meeting one of nine exemptions including homes undergoing major renovations, properties left vacant following the death of an owner, homes that have recently been sold, situations where an owner is hospitalized or in long-term care, and government or court orders preventing occupancy. There will be a two-stage appeal process allowing property owners to challenge vacancy determinations or tax bills, but anyone who deliberately provide false information could face prosecution under the Provincial Offences Act. This will run like other bylaws based on a complaint-based system.
Affordable Housing Policy Program: Draft Rental Renovation Bylaw – This bylaw wouldn’t affect evictions, rents, or landlord-tenant disputes under the Residential Tenancies Act, but it would focus on licensing, permits, documentation, tenant information, and monitoring when an N13 renovation notice is issued. It was also not decide if an eviction is legal. Now having said all that, a landlord who issues an N13 notice for work that requires vacant possession would have to apply for a Rental Renovation Licence within seven days, have the necessary building permits in place, and submit a Qualified Person’s Report confirming the work cannot reasonably be done with the tenant still living there. The City would provide tenants with a standardized information package explaining their rights, the renovation process, and available local supports. The bylaw would also require ongoing updates if the renovation timelines or scope change, and it would allow the City to suspend or revoke a licence if the landlord does not comply. Exemptions would apply to social housing, institutional or care facilities, and other regulated accommodation types. The licence itself will cost $650 with a 12-month term, which is not dissimilar to the fees in Kitchener and Waterloo.
Affordable Housing Policy Program: Recommended Policy Direction for a Rental – This piece is meant to work with the renoviction bylaw and would require developers seeking to demolish or convert rental housing with six or more units to obtain a Rental Replacement Permit. As part of that process, applicants would need to demonstrate the number, size, and rents of existing units, provide tenant information and engagement plans, and outline how replacement units will be delivered. The replacement units would generally need to match the demolished units in number, size, and bedroom count, and they would have to remain affordable — at or below Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Average Market Rent —for at least 10 years and remain rental housing for up to 20 years. Sounds simple, but there are some administrative complexities as the City would need to oversee tenant compensation agreements, monitor compliance with affordability requirements, and register legal agreements on title to ensure future owners uphold replacement obligations.
Guelph Politico 