As part of a commitment to its residents, Toronto’s City Council has confirmed housing as a human right and implemented programs support that commitment. With COVID-19 arriving on the scene, several organizations in Toronto have put pen to paper to reflect on those commitments and are encouraging the city to go further.
As a city, Toronto would appear to stand near the top as a leader in its supports to tenants and people who are homeless. Over the years, policies have been implemented to protect affordable rental housing. The City also funds programs that help to prevent homelessness and operates a Housing First program to support people experiencing homelessness to move to permanent housing. The organizations have come up with a list of actions the City can take to support tenants who are facing eviction.
Eviction law is a matter of provincial jurisdiction. The provincial government has lifted a ban on evictions, which it put in place during the early phases of the COVID emergency. Voters have voiced support to provide financial assistance to landlords and tenants, but so far these appeals have fallen on deaf ears. In an ironic twist, new laws have been enacted to make eviction easier. This comes at time when tenants are increasingly concerned about needing to keep their housing and at the same time losing income and employment as part of COVID safety measures.
The list of actions focus on steps the City of Toronto can take to help residents avoid evictions. They are based on a review of the current policies and programs as well as consultations with people who are navigating the evictions process.
This report is a good challenge for any level of government that thinks it does not have a role to play in evictions. It also provides examples of policies and programs that a local government can take to prevent homelessness and help people experiencing homelessness to move to permanent housing. For researchers, this report is a good model to undertake a similar study in another community or jurisdiction.
Read more at Right To Housing in Toronto: Evictions Rights Review
