Hello Mr. Doyle,…

   Hello Mr. Doyle,

  The proposed regulatory amendments are desirable insofar as they reduce the ability of reluctant municipalities to restrict second units. However there is a real risk that by preventing these restrictions, municipal staff (and, perversely, Ministry staff) will impose other, more draconian restrictions.

  We are the local Legal Aid Ontario legal clinic, and have strongly supported second units for over twenty five years..

  In London the proposed restrictions were used by the Ministry to justify overruling Council's virtually unanimous decision to permit second units throughout the city. Planning staff had sought a ban on second units in the so-called Near Campus Neighbourhood (where most second units are located), and to require that all existing units (built since November 1995) be shut down, despite meeting applicable building and fire standards, and the tenants within evicted.

  After extensive consultation Council expressly rejected the proposed ban last August. Nevertheless, Ministry staff overruled Council and imposed the ban, as "balance" for rejecting the restrictions which would be prohibited by the regulatory amendment.

  http://sire.london.ca/cache/2/ph3a2hezwru5n0epbzcvdp23/26576806042017091358845.PDF

  I have met with Ministry staff Kevin McClure and Erick Boyd, along with City Planner John Fleming, who confirmed this.

  The outright ban and shutting down of most second units built in London since 1995 is far more draconian and destructive of the Ontario Government and London City Council's expressed desire, to support affordable housing by encouraging second units, than is the benefit of prohibiting the restrictions referenced in the proposed amendment.

  If implementing the proposed regulatory amendment means that the Ministry will "for balance" impose other more restrictive measures, as it did in London, then it is better not to pass the amendments. Instead it is better for tenants that the Ministry not overrule supportive municipal councils and the policies and by-laws which councils pass to protect existing safe second units. That way at least innocent low-income tenants are not evicted - as the Ministry has dictated that they must be in London.

  Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these proposed amendments, which appear to be aimed at supporting second units, but in practice, as applied by the Ministry, will evidently force many safe second units to be arbitrarily shut down.

  I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you at your convenience.

  Yours truly,

  Jeff Schlemmer

 Executive Director

  cc. Hon. Deb Matthews MPP PC

[Original Comment ID: 209590]