Between the controversial Bill 184 being passed into law and the provincial moratorium on residential evictions coming to an end, community groups in Toronto are advocating for renters' rights more than ever.
Organizations such as Keep Your Rent have been arguing against evictions given the fact that the general economy and people's personal finances are still in an extremely precarious state due to the health crisis, that many residents are still out of work, and that the city was already dealing with affordable housing and homeless crises.
The group, which encourages neighbours to band together to take organized action for the cause, has now launched a tool for citizens to document evictions across the city.
👇Open tool to track Toronto evictions & organize direct action 👇@NDPStPauls @TorontoACORN https://t.co/VS09ISq1tV
— Robert Jacob (@RobertJacobTO) August 7, 2020
Through an online form at TorontoCovidEvictions.com, tenants can report eviction notices, eviction orders and notices of Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) hearings along with their address and contact info.
The hope is that those facing eviction can get support, and also that evictions in the city can be publicly reported to show the extent, location and other facets of the problem.
The site complements other new and similar resources like RenovictionsTO, which keeps tabs on renovictions and rent hikes in neighbourhoods citywide.
https://t.co/Z6vLaUYPQM
— John Clarke (@JohnOCAP) August 7, 2020
Please help to get this out in the community and be ready to support this struggle. The fight against mass #evictions in #Toronto is going to be one we simply can't lose.
Though there have not been any submissions to the database yet, there is expected to be an influx of renters losing their housing as the LTB begins processing thousands of eviction applications that have been on hold for months.
And with the province's new legislation, even more evictions are surely on the way: Bill 184 changes how and even if tenants can defend themselves in an eviction hearing, amends the 90 days' notice rule for rent increases, and permits the immediate eviction of renters who miss one installation of a rent arrears repayment plan.
Not being evicted from my home during a pandemic will really help protect the city from the worsening homeless crisis. Use your powers to ban evictions in Toronto. #bill184
— 🔥🔥 😭 ☭Ԁ∀☭ ☭ɥoןɐǝɹɐ😭🔥🔥 (@waytogographics) August 5, 2020
Demonstrators have gathered at Mayor John Tory's press conferences and even outside his home to protest the bill and potential mass evictions in the city while residents are still struggling to get back on their feet.
by Becky Robertson via blogTO
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