Tenants living in Macaulay Village met last week to learn more about their rights. Potential “renoviction” orders loom for them as early as September.

A tenants-rights information session was organized by the Prince Edward Learning Centre. Representatives from the Community Legal Advocacy Centre (CLAC) and the Hastings Housing Resource Centre were on hand to answer questions from upwards of a dozen residents.

Those living on Inkerman and Nery streets were among the tenants mentally preparing for the worst.

As first reported in the Picton Gazette in September, 2020, Vineridge is a large apartment building and condominium complex planned by FLC Group for the green space at the centre of the trapezoid created by Inkerman and Nery. The former Methodist and Catholic Churches stand there.

A second phase of a dozen condo buildings on the outside of the two streets are also planned. About two dozen current family units will very likely be demolished to make way for the new homes.

Development plans are before the Ontario Land Tribunal. After a series of submissions and re-submissions dating back to 2020, Vineridge filed to the OLT against the County of Prince Edward in the summer of 2022. The parties appeared via video at an OLT Merit Hearing on June 2 and the case is currently adjourned. FLC’s Fred Heller declined to comment on the status of the development while it was still in the approval stage.

The village, a one-time military housing development erected in the 1950’s to support Canadian Forces personnel at nearby Camp Picton, is now a fragmented neighbourhood, with three separate rental companies offering housing units at various locations throughout the development. This is in addition to a good number of privately-owned homes that create a patchwork of detached, semi-detached and townhomes.

Vineridge was promising affordable mid-$200,000 spaces in 2020. More recent dialogue between FLC and the County dated in May of 2022 indicate 21 of the first 60 units will be offered to the Prince Edward County Affordable Housing Corporation.

Still, the fear of imminent displacement has taken hold among the members of this community. The high cost of even “affordable,” units, which are priced about 10% below market rates, makes this housing unattainable for most renters.

Hopes are not high that the 23 families that could be evicted as early as March 2024 will be able to find new affordable/attainable housing locally.

“There’s an anticipation and a worry that the notices are coming soon,” said PELC’s Christine Durant. “We are engaging the residents and advising of their rights, how and who to make requests to and who to follow up with if these issues aren’t addressed.” 

While maintenance issues — tenants had a laundry list of complaints about landlords, including broken doors and windows, poor plumbing, burnt out street lights and pests — formed a large part of the discussion, the looming renovictions and prospect of losing their homes dominated.

“Please call us as soon as soon you get a notice,” CLAC’s Erin McLellan said. “We can offer general advice before hand if you think you are going to get an N13 eviction notice — but as soon as you get that notice, call us.”

The CLAC can ensure all stipulations and regulations landlords must meet in order to issue an N13 eviction notice to a tenant are met, as well as advise on compensation.

In general, tenants have a certain number of days from the date a notice is served, but extensions can be granted on compassionate and other grounds. A hearing at the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board is required.

“It’s very important to check dates and figures as soon as possible,” Ms. McLellan said. “We are happy to talk, discuss and help renters navigate at each and every stage and advise them of what the next steps are and what their rights are as tenants.”

In some local cases, landlords and property owners have been offering cash incentives to tenants to move out quickly. 

Ms. McLellan said tenants should know what they signing and the expectations in these types of deals.

“Landlords can, in any situation, regardless of their reasons, offer ‘cash for keys’ proposals. An amount of money is offered to leave in, say, 60 days,” she said. “The important thing to remember with these deals is that if it is accepted and you as a tenant go back on it, the landlord can go straight to the board and ask for an eviction order without a hearing because there was an agreement in place that was broken.”

Some residents said evictions couldn’t be ordered during the winter months.  Ms. McLellan said that a widely accepted misnomer and that legal evictions can happen at any time of the year.

Knowing your rights as a tenant and what compensation might be available is the key to making any transition — no matter how disruptive and traumatic — easier to navigate.