April 24, 2027 — Public engagement is underway for the development of a potential Rental Renovation By-Law to address renovictions in the community.
A survey was launched today at www.speakupsarnia.ca/Renovictions ahead of a May 13, 2026 Public Input Session.
‘Renoviction’ is a commonly used term to describe a situation wherein a landlord evicts a tenant in bad faith under the guise of completing renovations, and then re-rents the unit to another tenant at a higher rate, without meeting their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act. The City is in the process of developing a Rental Renovation By-Law that would require landlords to obtain a Licence before beginning any repair or renovation work that requires a building permit and requires a tenant to move out while the repairs or renovations are completed.
“We’re looking to community members, including stakeholders such as tenants and landlords, for their experiences and input to inform the creation of a draft by-law,” said Assistant City Solicitor Randi Kalar.
The online survey invites tenants, landlords and other members of the public to share data related to current housing stocks, renovation requirements, experience with renovictions, and related inputs. The survey will remain open until 4 p.m. on May 22, 2026.
The City will also host an in-person Public Input Session on May 13, 2026 at Pat Stapleton Arena from 5:30 to 7 p.m., providing residents and property owners the opportunity to share additional insight.
Once public consultations have ended, staff will report back to Council with findings, and a draft Rental Renovation By-Law.