Rooming houses could be legalized city-wide in 2024 as part of proposed bylaw
Mayor John Tory is set to make another attempt at legalizing rooming houses across Toronto, this time with new enhanced powers that could allow him to push through the bylaw with only minority support.
In October, city council was set to vote on a twice-deferred plan to permit rooming houses in the mainly suburban parts of the city where they are currently prohibited.
However, Tory moved a motion at the last minute to refer the item back to staff, essentially putting it on hold until after the municipal election.
He is now including the proposed bylaw in a wider motion that will go before council next week, which is focused on expediting the creation of new housing.
“I deferred it because there weren’t the votes to carry it. But that same report will be going forward and put on the floor of council. All the public hearings and deputations were already conducted at the panning and housing committee and now we are going to bring it forward to city council for a debate and a vote,” Tory said during a news conference on Friday.
Rooming houses are currently only permitted in the former city of Toronto and in parts of Etobiocke and York.
The motion being brought back to council by Tory would, however, create a single regulatory framework to permit multi-tenant housing in all Toronto neighbourhoods so long as certain standards are met as a condition of licencing.
All licenced rooming houses would also have to undergo annual inspections by staff from Toronto Fire Services and Municipal Licensing and Standards.
Speaking with reporters, Tory said that the current patchwork system doesn’t work because it allows countless illegal rooming houses to continue operate, without giving the city any ability to regulate them.
He said that as a result the city receives a “flood of complaints” about problematic rooming houses each year but has little means to respond.
“Because they are not regulated by us we can't regulate them so this will be a big plus for a lot of neighbourhoods where I myself have been to see some of these illegal rooming houses and they are a disgrace, they are a nuisance and they are worst than that,” he said.
Tory was asked whether he would utilize his new enhanced mayoral powers to pass the new bylaw without majority support but he said that he was “confident” it won’t come to that, given a shakeup that saw nearly one-third of city council turn over following October’s election.
If approved, the new bylaw would take effect in March 2024.
Tory said that the delay is attributed to the need to launch a public education campaign and hire additional inspectors.
“I wanted that date to be the soonest it can possibly be and if it could be one minute sooner I would go for that but the reasons are very practical,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.