The Tenant! Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations

- Fighting for Tenants’ Rights since 1974 -

Electronic Issue:

� Forum on Repairs!

� Development!

� 2016 Rent!

Fall 2015

Park Vista Tenant Association recently celebrated their first anniversary, and recently had an information meeting for their members and shared some anniversary cake with those in attendance. From left to right, Grace St. John (Board Member PVTA), Helen Chilas (Board member FMTA), John Plumadore (Chair of the FMTA Board), Maryanna Lewyckyi (Board member PVTA), and Janet Davis, City of Toronto Councillor, Ward 31.

The Ontario government has announced that the annual Rent Increase Guideline for 2016: 2.0%. This is the maximum a landlord can ask for without going to the Landlord and Tenant Board. The guideline is in effect from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016 and covers roughly 85% of private market tenants. In order to take this increase, a landlord must provide tenants with a written notice at least 90 days before the rent increase is supposed to take effect. Moreover, a landlord can only raise a tenant’s rent once every 12 months with written notice.

2016 Rent Guideline Released!

The Back Page

The Tenant Page 2

The City of Toronto has recently unveiled the Open Door initiative designed to encourage private and non-profit developers to build affordable rental and ownership housing. The initiative includes measures to: fast-track the planning-approval process, expand incentives to reduce construction costs, and challenging higher governments and private and non-profit developers to scale up their efforts. For example, 200 Madison Avenue, a surplus City site, will be fast-tracked for applications to build affordable rental housing on the land. The approvals process will be accelerated construction and financial and other incentives will set rents below CMHC's average market rent.

FMTA Forum on Repairs in

Housing! – October 22nd

Join the FMTA for our 5th annual International Tenants’ Day event – a forum on repairs in housing presented with the Neighbourhood Change Research Partnership. Find out about the latest data on repairs and maintenance standards and rent levels in the City using cutting edge research data. Also find out about new tools being recommended by the City of Toronto’s Municipal Licensing and Standards Division. The forum will include presentations from the University of Toronto, Toronto ACORN, ACTO and the FMTA. The forum is entitled: Renting in Toronto: Are you Getting What you Pay For? Date: Friday October 22nd, 2015

Time: 6:30pm The forum will be held at Innis Town Hall – 2 Sussex Av (1 block south of St. George Subway) What is International Tenants Day? International Tenants Day is an annual event coordinated by the Swedish-based International Union of Tenants. It aims to promote tenant rights around the world while creating awareness of tenant issues. International Tenants Day takes place on October 6th this year. The forum is being organized by several agencies including the FMTA, Toronto Acorn & University of Toronto. The event is wheelchair accessible and will provide captioning for those who are deaf or deafened.

City pushing private

housing development