How Brampton’s Pilot Program Aims to Curb Illegal Rental Units and Ensure Tenant Safety

The City of Brampton is taking steps to address the issue of illegal rental units in response to the rising cost of living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). A pilot program has been approved by Brampton councillors, which includes a range of measures to curb illegal rentals and ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents.

The proposed pilot program includes a cap on the number of residents allowed in a home, as well as a system for random inspections and fines for unlicensed rental units. It would also explore the establishment of a Landlord Code of Conduct, which would outline the responsibilities of landlords and property managers in providing safe, livable dwellings for their tenants. Additionally, the program aims to assemble a searchable, interactive directory of licensed landlords in Brampton to improve transparency and accountability in the rental market.

The pilot program is set to be announced later this year, with an anticipated start date in early 2024. Initially, the program will only apply to rental properties in wards 1, 3, 4 and 5, which were selected by city staff due to their high volumes of rental units. The ultimate goal of the program is to ensure that all rental properties in Brampton meet basic standards of safety and livability.

Advocates of the program say that it will “safeguard the health and safety of residents” by addressing the issues of overcrowding and substandard living conditions that have become increasingly prevalent in the city. The need for affordable housing in Brampton has been exacerbated by the large international student population in the area. Sheridan College recently released the Brampton Charter for Improving the International Student Experience, which aims to improve the lives of international students who study and stay in Peel Region.

The pilot program follows years of complaints about inadequate property standards in Brampton. Between 2018 and 2022, Peel police received more than 8,800 complaints, including difficulties in contacting landlords for needed repairs. Last year, a basement fire in Brampton made headlines after an entire family died, with officials suspecting that their deaths were caused by a lack of working smoke detectors.

Other cities, such as Waterloo, have already implemented similar programs to ensure that landlords are held accountable for maintaining safe, livable rental properties. In Waterloo, landlords are required to apply for a license and renew it annually to ensure that their units are well maintained.