London renoviction by-law greeted with skepticism [Video]

Protesting for more than an hour in a pouring rain, members of tenants’ advocacy group London ACORN called on city council to strengthen a draft licensing by-law meant to discourage so-called ‘renovictions’.

“It’s not going to stop them from sending tenants out onto the street!” shouted London ACORN’s Jordan Smith. “We need real renoviction protections now!”

Specifically, Smith criticized the draft by-law for having insufficient penalties to discourage renovictions, and that landlords wouldn’t be required to provide alternate accommodations or rent top-ups for displaced tenants during a renovation.

The term ‘renoviction’ describes the unethical use of N-13 Notices to evict a low-income tenant under the pretense of renovating their unit, when in fact the landlord wants to hike the rent for a new tenant.

On Tuesday, city council considered a draft licensing by-law that would: