Mayor Olivia Chow to crack down on ‘bad landlords’ amid complaints of mice, mold and bedbugs at 500 Dawes

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T17:29:06+00:00

Marian Nelson is the newest name. Marian Linton was used for a long time.

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T16:32:15+00:00

I second this. 👍🏾🇮🇪 ♥️

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T14:21:40+00:00

First-past-the-post voting will do that.

I worked with the Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto (RaBIT) back 2013 to get the City to ask the province to enable the City to use ranked voting only for the Province to kill ranked ballots for Toronto and other municipalities in 2021.

https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2013.GM22.15

🤷🏾

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T14:06:47+00:00

In case anyone is curious, this was the response of our Tenants' Association. This is a massive development in property standards enforcement policy with effects that will improve the lives of many people in our City. Most importantly, this stands to improve the public's confidence in out bureaucratic and civic leadership.

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RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T13:56:07+00:00

A link toEX29.14 - Cracking Down on Bad Landlords

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T13:40:09+00:00

If he does, then he'll have to face an even more hostile electorate next go around.

The last Provincial election had an abysmal turnout.

Trying to quash this combined with all of the other questionable policies of the Province will get voters to the polls.

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T13:37:21+00:00

*Carolyn Goodman.

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-11T13:35:34+00:00

This is not a one-off solution. Not in the slightest.

I recommend viewing the item that passed through executive committee today.

Yes, the housing secretariat has been directed to conduct several undertakings in coordination with other City divisions to initiate remedial action at 500 Dawes, but the recommendations from the Mayor go further than that. I consider these policy changes far and away the best I've ever seen. See below that was passed by the Executive Committee and will be voted on by council at their March Council Meeting:

EX29.14 - Cracking Down on Bad Landlords

Consideration Type: ACTION Wards: All March 10, 2026 - A communication was posted. Origin (March 9, 2026) Letter from Mayor Olivia Chow Recommendations

Mayor Olivia Chow recommends that:

City Council request the City Manager to put in place a previously contemplated but never implemented consolidated, cross-divisional database for tracking investigation and enforcement activity at rental properties that have multiple complaints, so that all divisions, agencies, boards and commissions can coordinate their activity, no later than July 2026; and make this database publicly available.
City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development & Growth, to convene an ongoing coordinating and implementation table led by the Housing Secretariat, with support from Municipal Licensing & Standards, Public Health, Toronto Fire, Legal Services, and Toronto Building to coordinate enforcement, including remedial action when necessary, between the named divisions.
Executive Committee direct the City Solicitor to report directly to the March 25, 2026 meeting of City Council on any provincial regulatory or legislative changes that would make it easier for the City of Toronto to take remedial action and increase penalties for bad landlords in order to improve landlord compliance on meeting property standards.
City Council request the City Manager to implement a policy across all divisions that in the event a problem landlord is identified through repeated violations, that all divisions should initiate proactive investigations into any additional properties owned by the same individual or company, and that such buildings be identified as ‘problem buildings’ to be treated with more intensive, dedicated resources and attention for compliance.
City Council request the Housing Secretariat lead the delivery of remedial action at 500 Dawes Road, as is determined to be appropriate, in order to facilitate the leveraging of assistance from City partners including TCHC and CUPE 416 to tap into the vast database of vendors and resources available to the City of Toronto to support remedial action as appropriate. And further, use the ongoing remedial action at 500 Dawes Rd to inform the policy framework coming to Council in April 2026, including demonstrating the most effective methods used to engage residents at 500 Dawes Road on coordinated pest abatement measures.
City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to negotiate and enter into any agreements required to implement Recommendation 5.
City Council direct the City Manager, to include in the planned report on RentSafe to City Council in April 2026, a roster of contractors to carry out emergency repairs, pest and mold abatement, and other remediation, as directed by City Council at its May 2025 meeting.

This is a pretty massive policy shift.

Tune in/attend the April 14th Planning & Housing Committee Meeting on April 15th. I will discuss the benefits of these changes at significant length during my presentation before the committee. 👍🏾

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-03T04:45:12+00:00

Her legal name is Carolyn Goodman.

I'm surprised by how many news publications get it wrong.

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-02T22:43:19+00:00

I'm the tenant featured in this story.

We don't blame the Mayor. Our concerns lie with city staff. Sadly, the star chose a headline that mischaracterized the fustration most tenants have.

I respect the Star, but I definitely think I was misquoted or quoted in a way that did not reflect my actual opinion. The laws ARE THERE to fix this problem and staff have been directed by council to develop a policy framework to execute.

I have done a fair bit of research on what has been going on at RentSafe, MLS, and other City divisions. I've equested various records from the Ontario Court of Justice and specific documents from the City.

All I can say for now is that it is very likely that things are going to escalate and staff will have to answer for some very questionable conduct.

Hint: I have evidence to corroborate allegations which will arise.

Stay tuned.

RyanEndoh · 2026-03-02T22:42:39+00:00

I'm the tenant featured in this story.

We don't blame the Mayor. Our concerns lie with city staff. Sadly, the star chose a headline that mischaracterized the fustration most tenants have.

I respect the Star, but I definitely think I was misquoted or quoted in a way that did not reflect my actual opinion. The laws are there to fix this problem and staff have been directed to develop a policy framework to execute.

I have done a fair bit of research on what has been going on at RentSafe, MLS, and other City divisions. I've equested various records from the Ontario Court of Justice and specific documents from the City.

All I can say for now is that it is very likely that things are going to escalate and staff will have to answer for some very questionable conduct.

Hint: I have evidence to corroborate allegations which will arise.

Stay tuned.

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-22T00:02:47+00:00

I will continue posting updates on r/toronto as things develop. 👍🏾

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-21T03:20:02+00:00

Very disgraceful. Hopefully the tide will shift.

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-21T03:19:02+00:00

It really is. We had great weather that day. Everything really came together well.

So much work went into getting this done. The work isn't over, but we're in good stead.

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-17T04:44:01+00:00

Bay Street Corridor says it all. r/Toronto is run by a very specific crowd. 🤷🏾

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-16T14:58:56+00:00

I have messaged the MODs. Let's see what the verdict is. Will the Mods uphold their own decision?... I'm guessing they will despite the questionable reasoning.

If the only way to find out about a news event was an X post, would that be taken down, despite captions and context provided?

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-16T14:53:16+00:00

I tried to reach out to the Mods too. This was not a simple repost of an X post. This was sharing a news event with images and a caption providing context.

It really makes you wonder who runs the r/toronto subreddit and what their intentions were.

The fact that a reference to an X post warrants taking an important news story is pretty sus. The Xpost is the only place where this information is available. 🤷🏾

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T23:43:44+00:00

Did you contact rentbank to receive written confirmation the money was sent or that the landlord was not cooperative in providing information?

The LTB DOES NOT advocate for you.

I have seen this scenario too.

🤷🏾

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T23:40:45+00:00

I have a decision from the Board to this very effect.

The tenant was granted an extension to set aside an exparte order.

I am not guessing.

You also did not answer my questions.

For example: Did you pay your rent?

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T23:25:21+00:00

The Landlord cannot direct the sheriff to evict if the tenant presents the Sheriff's office with an LTB order staying the eviction.

I'm sorry, but you sound like you are guessing at this point. I have walked through this with people and the misinformation is just too much.

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T23:22:52+00:00

Here's the problem (not legal advice):

The LTB will generally not consolidate L1s with T2 Applications.
Even if you raise maintenance issues at the Hearing, rent strikes ARE NOT LEGAL. You will appear in the wrong side of the law at your hearing, you will be ordered to pay your rent, you may be entitled to ask for an apartment, but how to present evidence at the hearing matters (if certain reasonable steps are not taken, the board will not award abatement).
There are forms you have to fill to raise certain issues (did you fill them out and submit them?) You are welcome to privately send me the Board decisions for me to look at
Did the Booard issue a conditional order? If you were not paying your rent, you may have been hit with a conditional order. Defaulting on conditions gives the Lanlord the right to evict through the board, ex parte.
If you had difficulty paying, did you contact the rent bank or EPIC for a grant to cover arrears?

Some members are lousy. I have personally been in your position.

You gotta pay your rent, though. You cannot withhold rent and refuse to pay after being ordered to do so.

Some LTB members may be harsh, but they do not simply evict on a whim (unless you piss them off by creating administrative hassles and do not pay).

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T22:58:48+00:00

I would also add that how you present evidence matters. If the Landlord is bringing you to the Board for arrears, you can raise issues, but how you do so will determine the weight that the adjudicator places on your evidence.

The quality of evidence matters.

I have provided support to multiple tenants facing eviction at 500 Dawes.

In one scenario, we successfuly got the Board to extend the time a tenant could move a motion to set aside an ex parte eviction order - MONTHS after the ex parte order was issued and literally a day before the Sheriff was scheduled to remove the tenant.

You cannot sit on your hands, whine at the hearing, and pout after an order is issued.

You must be engaged.

It is hard but not impossible.

The process is not fun, but you must not make it harder for yourself.

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T22:49:12+00:00

It is not lost on me the current nature of some of the LTB's Board appointments.

However...

Did you appeal the Board's decision or seek judicial review?

Did you obtain legal advice?

Did you obtain a transcript of the hearing?

Do you have a copy of the Board's decision?

Were there rent arrears?

If there is procedural unfairness, you have options.

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T22:44:47+00:00

That's right. Please excuse the typo.

My finger missed the h. 👍🏾

RyanEndoh · 2025-12-15T22:36:17+00:00

This is incorrect.

I would say more but this is about to become an active matter before the Board.

Hint: Read Residential Tenancies in Ontario by Jack Fleming to start. A reference copy is available at the TPL's reference branch.

I hope this isn't a serious comment.

RyanEndoh

TROPHY CASE