I was invited by ACORN Ottawa to deliver the following statement at City Hall on Wednesday April 24th. Councillor Ariel Troster’s motion for city staff to study the possibility of an Ottawa anti-renoviction bylaw was passed by city council today. This is an important step towards preserving existing affordable housing in Ottawa. Congrats to everyone involved!
Good afternoon, councillors. My name is Jessica Ruano and I am a member of ACORN living in Carlington. I was born and raised here on Algonquin Anishnaabe territory and I am a solo parent to my daughter Joy, who is 4 years old.
I am speaking to you all today in support of ACORN’s campaign for an anti-renoviction bylaw because with the current regulation it’s far too easy for tenants who have done nothing wrong to be evicted from their homes. Hamilton has already passed this anti-renoviction bylaw, and it’s time for Ottawa to do the same.
Three years ago, at the height of the pandemic during a stay at home order, I received an N12 no-fault eviction notice to vacate my home in Hintonburg, because the new owners wanted their son to move in. At the time my daughter was only a year old. I started looking for a new place to live, but housing prices had gone up substantially. I realized I would have to pay at least $800 more per month for a comparable unit in Ottawa.
This eviction was 100% the decision of my landlords, but I alone bore the financial burden of their decision.
I tried to negotiate with my landlords, but they refused to speak to me. ACORN encouraged me to take action and held a public demonstration in support of my cause. Despite our efforts, my daughter and I eventually had to move away from our street, from our neighbourhood, from everything that was familiar to us.
My daughter and I are happy in our new home, but due to the rising cost of living, my rent jumped from $1400 to $2250 per month, plus bills. My finances are a lot tighter now, especially as I’m currently on EI sickness benefits and only have the capacity to work part-time.
The Landlord and Tenant Board addressed my situation in a hearing, and they concluded last year that everything that happened to me was perfectly legal, and there would be no further recourse available to me. There was nothing they could do to compensate me for the loss that I suffered, that was no fault of mine, that I did not ask for. This eviction was 100% the decision of my landlords, but I alone bore the financial burden of their decision.
Still, I know my daughter and I will be okay because I have savings and I have the support of my family and my community.
I believe quality subsidized housing should be available to those who need it.
Not everyone has that. Most people, including people with young children, suffer through evictions in silence, often ending up homeless or living in substandard housing. There are people living with disabilities, or who work at minimum wage jobs, or who are not able to find work, who could lose their housing entirely because they can’t afford to rent on the private market.
I believe quality subsidized housing should be available to those who need it. And building new homes isn’t the only solution. Protecting existing affordable housing from no-fault evictions is key to stopping the housing crisis and homelessness crisis.
Ottawa needs to take steps to reduce no-fault evictions in order to protect our most vulnerable tenants, and an anti-renoviction bylaw is an important step in the right direction. I hope we can take inspiration from Hamilton’s initiative and make a positive difference in our city. Thank you for listening.
Jessica Ruano 