dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – Aiming to add housing units while “gently” densifying low-rise residential neighbourhoods, the city of Waterloo is proposing changes to its zoning bylaws and official plan, allowing 4 units and buildings of up to 4 stories on every plot of residential land in the city. Parking minimums will also be reduced under the plan while maximum building height will increase.
This show features interviews with City of Waterloo planner Tristin Deveau, and Meg Walker, an eviction prevention worker at the Social Development Council of Waterloo Region. Deveau speaks on the details and motivations for the changes, and concerns some residents have brought forward. Walker responds to the proposals and discusses other measures the city could take to reduce housing costs.
Kitchener, ON – The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing recently told CKMS News that their “balanced approach” to the rental market is working, as purpose built-housing rental construction has hit “record-high” numbers. However, renters in Waterloo Region are facing their own record highs. According to rentals.ca, landlords are now charging 1,935$ a month for a 1-bedroom in Kitchener, and more than 2,327$ for a 2-bedroom. Prices are higher in Waterloo.
Organizations advocating for stronger protections for renters have maintained their focus on landlords and the various levels of government. One such organization is the Social Development Council of Waterloo Region, who primarily focus on “Housing & Homelessness, Grassroots Infrastructure, and Lived Expertise.”
This show features an interview with Megan Walker, a tenant organizer in theEviction Prevention program at the Social Development Council. Walker discusses her work and responds to statements the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing made to CKMS News.
dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – As rent prices continue to increase province-wide, ACORN has continued to demand action from all levels of government. At the municipal level, ACORN chapters were part of campaigns that won new renter protection by-laws in Kitchener and Hamilton in June, and province-wide Phone Zaps have targeted MPPs and demanded action.
On July 11th, ACORN has organised a Day of Action with protests in Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga, London, Hamilton demanding “the Ontario Government protect affordable housing, and stop placating for-profit corporate developers and their desire for maximum profits.”
This show features Acer Bonapart, the chair of Waterloo Region ACORN. Bonapart told CKMS that while there isn’t an action planned locally on the 11th, the group will be active through the summer.
CKMS News contacted local PC MPPs for comment on ACORN’s demands but were told they were “not available for comment”. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing did not respond.
**shortly after first publishing this piece CKMS News received a short statement from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. We will address the statement in an upcoming CKMS News publication.**
Over the last few months there have been several rallies and multiple media stories on the group of tenants in the residential building at 267 Traynor Avenue in Kitchener, who have organized against an impending renoviction. Their building was recently purchased by a wealthy investor landlord who then issued N13 notices to at least 20 residents in the building and more in another on Ahrens St. in Kitchener
According to the 2023 Housing Hardship Report from the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, almost half (46%) of renters in Ontario are concerned about their landlord wanting to evict them for some reason.
In Waterloo region, the Report notes that 37% of all tenant households are spending a third or more of their income on housing costs, and a person needs to make at least $24 an hour to afford a 1-bedroom apartment here.
Maribel Jagorin organized the tenants at 267 Traynor Ave., and she talked with CKMS about her situation and fight to save her home and prevent her own and her building’s renoviction.
CKMS news also talked with Jenaya Nixon, who up util recently was an outreach worker for the Eviction Prevention Program within the Social Development Centre. Jenaya was one of the initial supports for the Traynor Ave residents and she talked about how renovictions generally occur and how municipal and regional governments can play an important and meaningful role, regardless of the provincial and federal initiatives.
Information and support to access if you are facing a renoviction in Waterloo Region:
The Eviction Prevention Waterloo Region at the Social Development Centre:
https://www.waterlooregion.org/eviction-prevention-waterloo-region
Easy to access and up-to-date legal information specific to Ontario:
https://stepstojustice.ca/legal-topic/housing-law/eviction/
Headlines for Saturday June 17th, 2023 from host dan kellar:
1 – Tenant Union pushes back against “high-pressure” landlord. The recently launched ACORN Tenant Union of Waterloo Region is organising a demonstration targeting a landlord whom tenants say is trying to renovict all the residents in two buildings who are paying less than market rates. 2 – The Canadian Disability Act finally heading for final approval in the Senate Disabled folks in Canada may soon receive a bit more support due to the impending approval of Bill C-22.
3 – Indigenous Solidarity Day Unity Jam in Waterloo Park. With the tag line “Love, Lax, and Land Back”, a Solidarity Day Unity Jam and Lacrosse game, hosted by Protect the Tract, will take place in Waterloo park on June 21st.
4 – Forest fires push Waterloo Region’s air quality to the most dangerous levels in a decade. Last week’s combination of the smoke from climate change fueled forest fires and a low pressure system off the east coast, led to Waterloo Region suffering its worst air quality levels in at least a decade
This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.
In today’s episode, we will hear from Faryal Diwan and William Turman who have been involved with a recent report highlighting issues around displacement locally. The Mapping Displacement project was conducted in collaboration with the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region and the University of Waterloo. The project explored lived experiences of displacement due to gentrification and development in the core areas of Kitchener and Waterloo.
Through their work, the Social Development Centre is helping highlight what can often be invisible to many of us – residents being displaced through demolitions of buildings, renovations and renovictions. Their latest report shares stories from those in our community who have been displaced and offers recommendations on how that data can help shape our community as we grow.
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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.
Check out the archived versions of this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.
You can follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca
