What to know
- Residents of 75 Spencer Avenue in Parkdale launched a rent strike on March 1 over a proposed 5.4 per cent above-guideline increase, citing building disrepair.
- Ward 4 councillor Gord Perks criticized the Rental Tenancies Act as “profoundly skewed” in favour of landlords and called for stronger tenant protections.
- The city of Toronto highlighted programs like RentSafeTO and the Tenant Defence Fund to help protect renters, though AGI disputes remain under provincial jurisdiction.
- The Landlord and Tenant Board confirmed an AGI application was filed in August 2024 and is awaiting a hearing.
A Toronto city councillor is calling for stronger protections for tenants under the province’s Rental Tenancies Act following a rent strike in a west-end neighbourhood.
On March 1, residents of 75 Spencer Avenue in the Parkdale neighbourhood officially launched a rent strike in response to a proposed 5.4 per cent rent increase by landlord Kin Pong Chung and property manager Metcap Living.
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While the maximum allowable rent increase for 2025 is 2.5 per cent, landlords can apply for an above-guideline increase (AGI) to cover the costs of capital repairs and building improvements under the act.
Residents say the increase is tied to building improvements, but many argue the building is in disrepair, citing broken floor tiles, sinking ceilings and floors, and malfunctioning heaters.
While Ward 4 (Parkdale-High Park) councillor Gord Perks, who represents the area, said neither the landlord nor tenants have contacted him about the dispute, he expressed his alignment with their complaints. He added that AGIs are just one of many aspects of the Rental Tenancies Act that fail to protect tenants.
“There are problems with the AGI framework. Frankly, the whole Rental Tenancies Act is profoundly skewed in favour of landlords, and the administration of the Tribunal has been profoundly skewed in their favour,” Perks told Now Toronto.
@nowtoronto Tenants at 75 Spencer Ave. in Toronto have launched a rent strike, after a proposed 5.4 per cent above-guideline rent increase. #Toronto #Parkdale ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
Perks said he and the city have repeatedly called on the province to reform the act to make it more fair for tenants and impose stronger rules on landlords.
“It’s a serious problem how deeply unfair the rules between landlords and tenants are in Ontario. The whole system is broken top to bottom,” he said.
Although the city has limited authority over AGIs, he says it is working to protect renters where possible through programs like RentSafeTO, which ensures building owners comply with maintenance standards.
“We have been trying to expand our jurisdiction, our investment, and our impact. The demoviction bylaw we passed is an example, the expansion of the RentSafeTO program is another, and our increasing investment in organizations that support tenants through our Tenant Defence Fund,” Perks said.
In a statement, the city said programs like RentSafeTO are helping protect tenants by holding landlords accountable for building maintenance. Regarding 75 Spencer Avenue, the city noted it had not received any property standards or bylaw complaints in the past three years.
“RentSafeTO conducts building evaluations once every two years for all registered apartment buildings. 75 Spencer Avenue was last evaluated in 2024, scoring 88 per cent. The next evaluation is scheduled for 2026,” the city said.
The Landlord and Tenant Board confirmed that an AGI application for 75 Spencer Avenue was filed on August 6, 2024, and the case is currently awaiting a hearing date.
Now Toronto also reached out to Mayor Olivia Chow’s office for comment on the ongoing rent strike but did not hear back in time for publication.
