May 10, 2016

Peter Kim

Global News

Rather than flooding the city with 3-1-1 calls complaining about issues in their buildings, tenants may soon have a new tool to help them live with dignity.

City staff released a framework Tuesday for licensing landlords that includes requiring them to maintain the interiors and exteriors of their buildings, and clean common areas as a condition for approval.

Landlords will also need to notify residents of service disruptions in a centrally located posting board.

READ MORE: ‘We were naive’: Canadian landlords share their worst tenant stories

“This isn’t about going after good landlords. There are many in the city. [But] there are far too many, almost parasitical companies that come into Toronto, buy up apartment buildings, remove the superintendent and keep the building in disrepair,” said Councillor Josh Matlow, chair of the city’s Tenant Issues Committee.

“That’s not fair to so many tenants who deserve to live in a quality home.”

April 20, 2016
The South Bayview Bulldog

The 51st Annual General Meeting of the South Eglinton Residents and Ratepayers Association was well-attended Wednesday night in the gymnasium of Manor Road United Church. President Andy Gort said that after many years at this location, it was the last time SERRA would meet there. Renovations to the church and the sale of half the property to make a public park means SERRA will have its AGM in the newly finished Sanctuary of Manor Road Church next year. The meeting heard from Josh Matlow (Ward 22) who reviewed many issues such as transit plans, the proposed Davisville Hub and a number of developments of concern.

Trying to find a free connection in Toronto is difficult — but it's available in places such as London, Fredericton.

April 19, 2016

Vanessa Lu

The Toronto Star

Customers at a Toronto Tim Hortons use public Wi-Fi. Some smaller cities in Canada have had more success in providing free public Internet access instead of Toronto, which continues to strive for more Wi-Fi at city parks and facilities as well as in community housing. Photo: AARON HARRIS / FOR THE TORONTO STAR.

Compared to other cities around the world, free Wi-Fi can be hard to come by in Toronto.

Pop into a chain coffee shop or fast-food joint and you’ll probably be able to connect. Both Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission are trying to offer up more access, but it’s still limited.

It’s a far cry from the experiment launched in New York earlier this year where free high-speed public Wi-Fi was made available through street kiosks. Using the city’s now outdated pay phone infrastructure, LinkNYC hopes to cover the whole city in the next 10 years, providing affordable access to an increasingly essential service.

But Toronto was already thinking ahead to the need for such a service back in 2006, when Toronto Hydro Telecom offered up the free service for six months in the downtown core.

City council set to explore a “Rent Safe” landlord licensing system to improve tenant quality of life.

April 9

Laurie Monsebraaten

The Toronto Star

Phuc Dinh and Hoa Le, once refugees from Vietnam, say they've had to buy four space heaters to deal with the constant cold in their apartment on West Lodge Ave. in Parkdale. Photo: GEOFFREY VENDEVILLE / TORONTO STAR.

Toronto is contemplating a licensing system for apartment buildings — similar to the city’s Dine Safe restaurant program — to give inspectors more teeth when landlords fail to meet minimum property standards.

The proposed Rent Safe program would apply to about 3,300 rental buildings with 10 units or more that are three storeys or higher, according to a city staff report. Condos and co-ops would be excluded.

If approved by council next fall, it could be in place as early as January 2017.