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'Renoviction' rates soar due to big-city housing crunch – CBC.ca

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5 years ago

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It was a knock at the door that ignited the battle. 

As Yanick Marion hustled early one morning to get to work, the manager of his apartment building had a message: “You have to leave. You don’t have a choice,” he recalls. 

The manager, Marion says, was insistent that electrical upgrades were needed in the aging 36-unit complex in Montreal. 

“It’s dangerous for your life, and the bank wants you to leave,” Marion says he was told.

Other tenants received the same message — and many left, watching as their former apartments were given a fresh coat of paint, new windows and appliances, and the rent went up as new tenants came in. 

So-called “renovictions” are up sharply across Canadian cities, complicating an already challenging housing situation.

In 2018, there were 37,000 new apartments built nationwide, but demand increased by 50,000 units, according to tracking done by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The smallest provincial capital, Charlottetown, has one of the lowest rental vacancy rates in the country. It hovers just above zero per cent, and new Kijiji rental listings last just minutes before apartments are snapped up.

In Montreal, housing advocate Martin Blanchard says it’s a scenario that has happened before — every time vacancy rates drop toward zero, new owners snap up rental stock, renovate the units and increase the rent.

Blanchard says foreign firms are buying up older apartment complexes, adding to the problem of people being forced out of their homes. (CBC)

“We used to get 50 to 100 calls per year,” from people complaining about being forced out of their apartments by landlords, says Blanchard, a community organizer with Comité logement de la Petite Patrie, a housing advocacy group. “Now we get many hundreds every year. It’s a crisis.”

Blanchard points largely to foreign firms, which are buying up older apartment complexes in Canada’s big cities and attempting to jettison existing tenants so the rent can be jacked up beyond limits set by provincial governments.

“It’s a way of making outrageous profits in a very short time. So they’ve got a little money put down, you can make a lot of profit, but it involves putting people on the street.”

Many renters don’t know the rules

Legislation protecting renters varies from province to province, but often a tenant cannot be evicted simply because a landlord wants to renovate. Renters should be able to remain at an apartment under existing rules.

If construction is so significant that a tenant must temporarily move out, the landlord is often required to allow them to return to the unit — at the same price.

But building owners don’t always follow the rules, says Kenneth Hale, director of legal services for the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario.

“These kinds of evictions deserve special scrutiny about whether the applications are being brought in good faith.”

Kenneth Hale tells CBC’s David Common that legislation should be used to remove a landlord’s economic incentive to evict people. 0:27

Tenants Ontario urges renters facing these circumstances not to agree to anything and to contact them, though acknowledge they are inundated with calls now as they seek to bring cases forward to the provincial tribunal, the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Many of the cases that come across his desk involve low-level renovations that, he believes, are largely an excuse to get renters out in favour of those who will pay more.

The group has tracked a nearly four-fold increase in renovictions over the past couple of years, with cases reported to the centre soaring from 18 in 2015 to 71 in the 2018-19 fiscal year. It says the actual number is likely much higher, since the advocacy centre can only rely on what is reported to its office.

Hale wants new legislation to better protect tenants from renoviction.

“They should take away the economic incentive to evict people. And that would be by putting restrictions on the amount of rent increase that can happen in between tenants,” says Hale. “Because right now it’s unlimited. And we just see it as an opportunity for landlords to rent-gouge, and that shouldn’t be allowed.”

Toronto city Coun. Paula Fletcher says she wants the provincial government to require that a building permit is obtained before a renoviction, and have building inspectors ensure that the renovation/demolition is so substantial that it is indeed imperative the tenant move out.

“I think the Ontario government needs to change the bar for the Landlord Tenant Board,” she says.

Paula Fletcher tells CBC’s David Common that renovictions are a growing trend in the Toronto area. 0:40

Seeking certainty, many move out

Marion is still holding on to his basement unit in Montreal, though two-thirds of the other apartments have been vacated, including that of his former neighbour Radina Papukchieva. 

“It was eight months of pressure, and it just became like a psychological stress,” Papukchieva says.

“We had mice. Garbage wasn’t getting picked up. They were doing everything to make us feel uncomfortable and unwanted in our own place.”

But Papukchieva and Marion’s former landlord disputes that. Abraham Kellner, the manager of the building, says plumbing fixes alone cost $100,000. 

“I can tell you that we did plumbing, electricity, kitchens, toilets, windows, floors,” he says. “I mean, it wasn’t minor at all.”

The company that bought the apartment tried to do the best for all parties and did everything in good faith, Kellner says.

Kellner wouldn’t say how much rent new tenants coming in after the renovations are being charged, but denied it had doubled.

“It depends on the apartment, but after it’s renovated … it’s normal that it’s going to be more,” he says. “But I wouldn’t say double, and in some cases — it’s hard to say, it’s a lot of apartments.”

Radina Papukchieva says she was pressured out of her apartment by her landlord, who then rented it to someone else for nearly double the rent she had been paying. (CBC)

Papukchieva said she, too, is paying more because of the move, going from a monthly cost of $725 to $1,000 just to stay in an increasingly pricey neighbourhood.

“They want to simply do cosmetic changes to the apartments, make them look super nice, keep it like that — they’re not doing anything to the exterior of the building,” Papukchieva says.

Price paid is more than financial

Some tenants pre-empt renovictions by offering to pay more to stay. But others aren’t given the choice.

In Toronto, Ivan Wadgymar resisted an eviction notice — but lost in a tribunal because the new owners converted the building from residential to commercial. It was at the hearings, seeing other tenants in the same position, that he says he realized the impact the rapidly growing number of renovictions is having on the fabric of his city.

“It took me going to those meetings and seeing people cry who are getting evicted as well to make me understand what a home is … how important it is to feel that you have a home. And then get kicked out of it.”

The owner of the company that bought his building says they “approach all projects with the rights and respect of the tenants and the law in mind.”

“We care about our community and we are dedicated to working with our city throughout the process,” says Basem Hanna.

Yanick Marion has refused to leave his basement unit in Montreal, though he says two-thirds of the other apartments around him have been vacated. (CBC)

But Wadgymar feels the neighborhood is changing and is increasingly unaffordable.

He now helps others fight against renovictions, though he’s doing so from a bedroom in his mother’s house, because the small-business operator is no longer able to afford rent in the area he called home for three years.

“I’ve been pretty depressed since this happened,” Wadgymar says. “I haven’t even unpacked my stuff … I’m still absorbing this.”

The building where he used to live is now fenced off, with construction supplies visible through the windows. His name has been removed from the buzzer on the door.

Public protests

With its proximity to the downtown core, Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood has become increasingly desirable. Many of its low-rise apartment buildings are more than 50 years old and are being scooped up by companies with a track record for renovictions, according to Fletcher, the city councillor for the area.

“I always say we cannot build affordable housing as fast as tenants in these types of rental situations are being evicted,” she says.

Toronto Coun. Paula Fletcher says she wants to see changes to the Landlord And Tenant Act to help stop renovictions. (CBC)

When some tenants in Fletcher’s ward got notices to leave recently, she joined them in a protest outside the building. She also wants the Landlord and Tenant Board to demand proof that planned renovations are so extensive, that there is no other option but for a tenant to move out.

“There’s only a few companies that come in and do this, but they seem to have a plan. Get in. Get the building. Give the notices. Renovate. Triple the existing rent,” she says. “It’s a pattern.”

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My Boy Prince to race against older horses in $1-million Woodbine Mile

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35 mins ago

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September 13, 2024

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TORONTO – He’s firmly among Canada’s top three-year-olds but My Boy Prince faces a stiff test Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack.

The ’24 King’s Plate runner-up will be part of a global field in the $1-million Woodbine Mile turf event. Not only will it be My Boy Prince’s first race against older competition but among the seven other starters will be such horses as Naval Power (Great Britain), Big Rock (France) and Filo Di Arianna (Brazil).

My Boy Prince will race for the first time since finishing second to filly Caitlinhergrtness in the Plate on Aug. 23.

“It’s his first try against older horses and it’s hard to say where he fits in,” said trainer Mark Casse. “This time of year running a three-year-old against older horses, it’s like running a teenager against college athletes.

“We’re doing it because we believe a mile on the turf is his preferred surface … we wanted to give him a shot at this. (American owner Gary Barber) is someone who likes to think outside the box and take calculated risks so we’re going to see where he fits in.”

Casse, 16 times Canada’s top trainer, is a Hall of Famer both here and in the U.S. He’s also a two-time Woodbine Mile winner with filly Tepin (2016) and World Approval (2017).

Sahin Civaci will again ride My Boy Prince, Canada’s top two-year-old male who has six wins and 10 money finishes (6-3-1) in 11 career starts. The horse will be one of three Casse trainees in the race with Filo Di Arianna (ridden by Sovereign Award winner Kazushi Kimura) and Win for the Money (veteran Woodbine jockey Patrick Husbands aboard).

Naval Power, a four-year-old, has finished in the money in eight of nine starts (six wins, twice second) and will race in Canada for the first time. He comes to Woodbine with second-place finishes in two Grade 1 turf races.

Big Rock, another four-year-old, makes his North American debut Saturday. The horse has five wins and five second-place finishes in 14 starts but has struggled in ’24, finishing sixth, 10th and fifth in three races.

Filo Di Arianna is a four-time graded stakes winner with nine victories, three seconds and a third from 17 starts. It was Canada’s ’22 top male sprinter and champion male turf horse.

Other starters include Playmea Tune, Niagara Skyline and Secret Reserve.

Playmea Tune, a four-year-old, is trained by Josie Carrol. The gelding has made three starts, winning twice and finishing second in the Grade 3 Bold Venture on Aug. 23.

Woodbine-based Niagara Skyline is a six-year-old with 13 money finishes (six wins, five seconds, twice third) in 24-lifetime starts. The John Charlambous trainee has reached the podium (1-1-1) in all three races this year.

Secret Reserve, also a six-year-old, has finished in the money in 15-of-26 starts (six wins, one second, eight thirds). The horse, at 44-1, was third in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes over a mile on the E.P. Taylor turf course.

The Mile highlights a stellar card featuring six graded stakes races. Also on tap are the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (fillies and mares), $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes (two-year-olds) and $500,000 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes (two-year-old fillies), all Grade 1 turf events.

The Mile, Natalma and Summer winners earn automatic entries into the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in November.

Casse has won all four races, earning his first E.P. Taylor title last year with filly Fev Rover, Canada’s horse of the year and champion female turf horse. Fev Rover will defend her title Saturday against a field that includes Moira, the ’22 King’s Plate winner and Canada’s horse of the year trained by Woodbine’s Kevin Attard.

“It (E.P. Taylor) was definitely on my bucket list because it had eluded us,” Casse said. “But I honestly hadn’t realized I’d won all four of them, hadn’t really thought about it.”

Casse will have horses in all four turf races Saturday. Arguably the most intriguing matchup will be between Moira and Fev Rover, who ran 1-2, respectively, in a photo finish Aug. 11 in the Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes, a 1 3/16-mile turf race, at Virginia’s Colonial Downs.

“What’s funny is the two of them went all the way to Virginia and she beat us by a nose,” Casse said. “We could’ve done that at Woodbine.

“There’s two of the best fillies in the world both from Toronto and they’re going to be competing Saturday.”

Some question having so many solid races on a single card but Casse likes the strategy.

“I think it’s a good thing,” he said. “On Saturday, the main focus on horse racing in the world will be on Woodbine and that’s because it’s such a great card.

“It’s an international day, there’s horses coming from everywhere and we’re going to do our best to represent Canada.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.



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Former world No. 1 Sharapova wins fan vote for International Tennis Hall of Fame

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September 13, 2024

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NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Maria Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam singles champion, led the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s fan vote her first year on the ballot — an important part to possible selection to the hall’s next class.

The organization released the voting results Friday. American doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan finished second with Canada’s Daniel Nestor third.

The Hall of Fame said tens of thousands of fans from 120 countries cast ballots. Fan voting is one of two steps in the hall’s selection process. The second is an official group of journalists, historians, and Hall of Famers from the sport who vote on the ballot for the hall’s class of 2025.

“I am incredibly grateful to the fans all around the world who supported me during the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s fan votes,” Sharapova said in a statement. “It is a tremendous honor to be considered for the Hall of Fame, and having the fans’ support makes it all the more special.”

Sharapova became the first Russian woman to reach No. 1 in the world. She won Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008. She also won the French Open twice, in 2012 and 2014.

Sharapova was also part of Russia’s championship Fed Cup team in 2008 and won a silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

To make the hall, candidates must receive 75% or higher on combined results of the official voting group and additional percentage from the fan vote. Sharapova will have an additional three percentage points from winning the fan vote.

The Bryans, who won 16 Grand Slam doubles titles, will have two additional percentage points and Nestor, who won eight Grand Slam doubles titles, will get one extra percentage point.

The hall’s next class will be announced late next month.

___

AP tennis:

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Roots sees room for expansion in activewear, reports $5.2M Q2 loss and sales drop

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September 13, 2024

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TORONTO – Roots Corp. may have built its brand on all things comfy and cosy, but its CEO says activewear is now “really becoming a core part” of the brand.

The category, which at Roots spans leggings, tracksuits, sports bras and bike shorts, has seen such sustained double-digit growth that Meghan Roach plans to make it a key part of the business’ future.

“It’s an area … you will see us continue to expand upon,” she told analysts on a Friday call.

The Toronto-based retailer’s push into activewear has taken shape over many years and included several turns as the official designer and supplier of Team Canada’s Olympic uniform.

But consumers have had plenty of choice when it comes to workout gear and other apparel suited to their sporting needs. On top of the slew of athletic brands like Nike and Adidas, shoppers have also gravitated toward Lululemon Athletica Inc., Alo and Vuori, ramping up competition in the activewear category.

Roach feels Roots’ toehold in the category stems from the fit, feel and following its merchandise has cultivated.

“Our product really resonates with (shoppers) because you can wear it through multiple different use cases and occasions,” she said.

“We’ve been seeing customers come back again and again for some of these core products in our activewear collection.”

Her remarks came the same day as Roots revealed it lost $5.2 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $5.3 million in the same quarter last year.

The company said the second-quarter loss amounted to 13 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Aug. 3, the same as a year earlier.

In presenting the results, Roach reminded analysts that the first half of the year is usually “seasonally small,” representing just 30 per cent of the company’s annual sales.

Sales for the second quarter totalled $47.7 million, down from $49.4 million in the same quarter last year.

The move lower came as direct-to-consumer sales amounted to $36.4 million, down from $37.1 million a year earlier, as comparable sales edged down 0.2 per cent.

The numbers reflect the fact that Roots continued to grapple with inventory challenges in the company’s Cooper fleece line that first cropped up in its previous quarter.

Roots recently began to use artificial intelligence to assist with daily inventory replenishments and said more tools helping with allocation will go live in the next quarter.

Beyond that time period, the company intends to keep exploring AI and renovate more of its stores.

It will also re-evaluate its design ranks.

Roots announced Friday that chief product officer Karuna Scheinfeld has stepped down.

Rather than fill the role, the company plans to hire senior level design talent with international experience in the outdoor and activewear sectors who will take on tasks previously done by the chief product officer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ROOT)

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