Fines coming for violations to two-unit housing regulations

By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express

The city’s two-unit housing licensing system is getting some teeth.

Following approval from council during its regular meeting on June 25, the city will now be applying fines for two-unit houses that are non-compliant or found to be not registered with the city’s existing system.

According to the motion that carried the approval forward, the application of administrative monetary penalties to the system will make it easier for the city to enforce the bylaw and allow for landlords to more “effectively and efficiently” be brought into compliance.

Previously, offences were made under the Provincial Offences Act, and required a court process.

“With the administrative penalty you can receive that immediately and you can appeal that here through the city,” says Jerry Conlin, the city’s director of municipal law enforcement and licensing services.

However, with that said, the change is not meant to scare landlords into compliance, and Conlin says that two-unit home owners that aren’t registered should not be too concerned as generally, it is a fairly simple process to get registered, depending on the state of the home.

Under the new system, home owners could be charged $250 per day that they are in contravention of the bylaw.

“They’re panicking, I would say, without having full knowledge of what is required,” he says. “It depends on the situation, it’s really a case by case basis.”

The change got praise from members of council, particular Councillor Amy McQuaid-England, who has been a vocal proponent for tenants in recent years.

“I think this is a step forward in protection for tenants,” McQuaid-England says, noting that she hopes further licensing for landlords can come forward in the next term of council.

Under the existing system, homes that consist of two units are required to be registered with the City of Oshawa, requiring them to be inspected by city officials to ensure they meet municipal property and fire code standards. Inspections are a one-time event and are conducted both proactively (upon registration) and upon receiving complaints (if a two-unit house is discovered it will be checked to confirm registration and if it is not registered the owner will be directed to do so).

The decision comes as the city is also investigating the possibility of creating a licensing system for duplex houses, similar to the two-unit system. That decision follows direction of council given in March to look into the possibility of adding duplexes into the city’s current Two-Unit Housing Registration System, or creating a “mirrored” registration system for these types of homes.

Moving forward, Conlin says the city will look at an education campaign to get the word out to homeowners.

“Enforcement is only one tool. I think certainly it will cause people to pay attention to it,” he says. “I think what we’ve also wanted to do is an education and communication campaign to still try to get people to come in and to register their units.”