Toronto Council meets today!
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@WizardOfDocs @GraphicMatt
Maybe they have tinnitus@RnDanger @GraphicMatt that counts as something going wrong, but not necessarily with the moment itself
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Asked how many apartment buildings with bad landlords there are in the city, staff say about 115 buildings are in the "red category" of about 3,600 total buildings.
After staff questions, Councillor Brad Bradford is the first speaker on the bad landlord item. His ward contains 500 Dawes Road, which has become the poster child for this issue. "We're dealing with a scumbag of a landlord. This is not a good-faith actor," Bradford says.
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After staff questions, Councillor Brad Bradford is the first speaker on the bad landlord item. His ward contains 500 Dawes Road, which has become the poster child for this issue. "We're dealing with a scumbag of a landlord. This is not a good-faith actor," Bradford says.
"This file has a history that goes all the way back to former councillor Janet Davis," says Bradford of 500 Dawes. "And her and I have had lots of conversations about this."
He says tenants "have been let down by a city that moves far too slow on this."
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"This file has a history that goes all the way back to former councillor Janet Davis," says Bradford of 500 Dawes. "And her and I have had lots of conversations about this."
He says tenants "have been let down by a city that moves far too slow on this."
Councillor Josh Matlow says the city's message to bad landlords should be, "If you're not willing to be a real human being, and care about the other human beings who you have the responsibility to care for, we're gonna damn well go in there and fix things — and bill you afterwards."
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Councillor Josh Matlow says the city's message to bad landlords should be, "If you're not willing to be a real human being, and care about the other human beings who you have the responsibility to care for, we're gonna damn well go in there and fix things — and bill you afterwards."
Councillor Dianne Saxe says she's been hearing that the city has an enforcement problem. "We don't have an enforcement approach that is of a measure for the threat — and we need to. We need to take seriously what our bylaws say," she says.
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Councillor Dianne Saxe says she's been hearing that the city has an enforcement problem. "We don't have an enforcement approach that is of a measure for the threat — and we need to. We need to take seriously what our bylaws say," she says.
Councillor Holyday moves to strike "CUPE 416" from one of the mayor's motions. He says he doesn't understand why it's there.
He then urges council to "be careful in taking an aggressive stance" re: bad landlords, saying there could be "unintended consequences."
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Councillor Holyday moves to strike "CUPE 416" from one of the mayor's motions. He says he doesn't understand why it's there.
He then urges council to "be careful in taking an aggressive stance" re: bad landlords, saying there could be "unintended consequences."
Councillor Alejandra Bravo thanks Mayor Chow for "after so many years, sending a message to every landlord in the city who exploits people, who doesn't obey the law, who puts people in precarious conditions, who makes their life a living hell — you're now on notice."
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Councillor Alejandra Bravo thanks Mayor Chow for "after so many years, sending a message to every landlord in the city who exploits people, who doesn't obey the law, who puts people in precarious conditions, who makes their life a living hell — you're now on notice."
And that takes Council to lunch. There are still 113 items left on the agenda. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Back at 2 p.m.
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And that takes Council to lunch. There are still 113 items left on the agenda. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Back at 2 p.m.
Council is about to return. Before they get back to the bad landlord debate, they'll pay tribute to Will Johnston, the Deputy City Manager responsible for Infrastructure and Development Services. He's retiring from city hall next week.
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Council is about to return. Before they get back to the bad landlord debate, they'll pay tribute to Will Johnston, the Deputy City Manager responsible for Infrastructure and Development Services. He's retiring from city hall next week.
Chow takes the lectern to praise Johnston's work. She heralds his "dedication to public services" on issues like transit, development and snow clearing.
"We know you're looking forward to returning to Vancouver, where you don't have to look at that 60 cm of snowstorm in one day," the mayor adds.
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Chow takes the lectern to praise Johnston's work. She heralds his "dedication to public services" on issues like transit, development and snow clearing.
"We know you're looking forward to returning to Vancouver, where you don't have to look at that 60 cm of snowstorm in one day," the mayor adds.
Johnston gets the standard-issue retirement photo with the mayor and thanks a long list of people. "I am very grateful and honoured for having the opportunity to play a role in helping to shape this incredible city." He gets a standing ovation. Nunziata asks why the heck he's going to Vancouver.
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Johnston gets the standard-issue retirement photo with the mayor and thanks a long list of people. "I am very grateful and honoured for having the opportunity to play a role in helping to shape this incredible city." He gets a standing ovation. Nunziata asks why the heck he's going to Vancouver.
Back to bad landlords. Councillor Lily Cheng moves to conduct user experience consultations with the new database once it launches, and to look at requiring landlords to inform tenants when their building has a property standards issue.
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Back to bad landlords. Councillor Lily Cheng moves to conduct user experience consultations with the new database once it launches, and to look at requiring landlords to inform tenants when their building has a property standards issue.
Chow is up to speak on bad landlords. She's got a looong motion that is now posted on the item. Some key recs to the provincial gov:
- Higher fines
- Eliminating appeals for property standards orders
- Bring back rent control and introduce vacancy control -
Chow is up to speak on bad landlords. She's got a looong motion that is now posted on the item. Some key recs to the provincial gov:
- Higher fines
- Eliminating appeals for property standards orders
- Bring back rent control and introduce vacancy control"There's no escape. We will shut down slum landlords, because we are the City of Toronto — we are the government," declares Mayor Olivia Chow.
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"There's no escape. We will shut down slum landlords, because we are the City of Toronto — we are the government," declares Mayor Olivia Chow.
Time to vote. The part of Mayor Chow's motion calling for the province to bring back universal rent control and add vacancy control (in addition to some other changes) CARRIES 24-2.
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Time to vote. The part of Mayor Chow's motion calling for the province to bring back universal rent control and add vacancy control (in addition to some other changes) CARRIES 24-2.
All other amendments CARRY via show of hands. The bad landlord item CARRIES 25-1. But WAIT, Holyday says he actually meant to vote YES. This is the first time this has ever happened, he says, apologizing.
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All other amendments CARRY via show of hands. The bad landlord item CARRIES 25-1. But WAIT, Holyday says he actually meant to vote YES. This is the first time this has ever happened, he says, apologizing.
They redo the bad landlord vote for Holyday. He remembers, this time, where the YES button is. It CARRIES 26-0.
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They redo the bad landlord vote for Holyday. He remembers, this time, where the YES button is. It CARRIES 26-0.
Before the next item, Councillor Gord Perks rises to pay tribute to the departing David Stonehouse, the longtime director of the waterfront secretariat. "He asked that we not do this, but in typical fashion, we're going to ignore advice from staff," jokes Perks.
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Before the next item, Councillor Gord Perks rises to pay tribute to the departing David Stonehouse, the longtime director of the waterfront secretariat. "He asked that we not do this, but in typical fashion, we're going to ignore advice from staff," jokes Perks.
Up now: the island airport. Premier Doug Ford says he intends to pass legislation that would take Toronto's spot in the tripartite agreement governing Billy Bishop Island Airport, which would clear the runway for airport expansion. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.59
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Up now: the island airport. Premier Doug Ford says he intends to pass legislation that would take Toronto's spot in the tripartite agreement governing Billy Bishop Island Airport, which would clear the runway for airport expansion. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.MM39.59
"I would suggest that the provincial government could assume responsibility for the agreement through legislation, but the federal government would not have to accept the amendment to the contract," says the city solicitor re: the tripartite agreement. The feds could stop Ford, in other words.
