Halton Regional Council Unanimously Urges Province to Reinstate Residential Eviction Ban While COVID-19 Restrictions Remain in Place
At its meeting on June 16, Halton Regional Council unanimously carried a resolution brought forward by Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette urging the Province to reinstate the ban on residential evictions while COVID-19 restrictions remain in place.You can read the full resolution below:WHEREAS on January 14, 2021 the Provincial Government issued emergency order O. Reg. 13/21 Residential Evictions through the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.9, which mandated a temporary pause on the enforcement of residential evictions to make sure that people are not forced to leave their homes during this provincial declaration of emergency and while the stay-at-home-order is in force; andWHEREAS the emergency order was put in place to also protect homeowners who are facing evictions due to court orders for possession of their properties; andWHEREAS keeping people housed and protecting the health and safety of residents and families are two of the most important public health measures during a pandemic; andWHEREAS with the expiration of the Stay-at-Home order on June 2, 2021, the ban on residential evictions has been lifted, and is expected to result in a wave of evictions; andWHEREAS while the Stay-at-Home order has been lifted, a number of public health and workplace measures remain in place province-wide, as we slowly and cautiously move forward with the Roadmap to Reopen the Province; andWHEREAS current restrictions are resulting in many individuals continuing to experience challenges in paying rent, and in accessing needed supports such as legal offices, landlord tenant tribunals, financial, social, and health support services, etc.; andWHEREAS housing and tenant advocates are calling on the Provincial Government to reinstate a ban on residential evictions arguing that losing housing during the pandemic would put lives at risk, and that evictions should be suspended as long as provincial COVID-19 restrictions remain in force.NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:THAT Halton Regional Council urges the Provincial Government to reinstate the residential eviction ban for the duration of time in which the provincial COVID-19 restrictions remain in force;THAT prior to lifting the residential eviction ban, a consultation be conducted with municipalities responsible for housing under the provincial Housing Services Act and housing providers to gain an understanding of the front line realities and problems with rehousing and timing challenges;AND THAT this resolution be sent to the Premier, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for their immediate action and that a copy be sent to AMO, and Halton’s Members of Provincial Parliament for their information.RELATED LINK:
--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist