GRCA winding down tenancy program, evicting renters

The Svenssons have lived on Conservation Road in Guelph-Eramosa for 34 years, but next summer may be their last after they received a letter from the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) notifying them of changes to the rental program.

The letter, dated July 26, indicated the GRCA board has approved a wind-down of the rental program, which is anticipated to take approximately 10 to 15 years to complete.

The GRCA currently has 45 residential properties, 34 of which are being rented.

Samantha Lawson, manager of properties, sought approval of the wind-down of the rental program on July 22. In a report, she explained the program was forecasted to break even in 2016, but to be in a deficit position in 2017.

The report states 40 per cent of the properties rent for under $1,000 a month and 25% rent under $1,200.

Lawson explained the properties were analyzed and divided into four categories:

- category 1: the most imminent potential safety and financial liabilities;

- category 2: financial liabilities;

- category 3: do not have a promising financial forecast; and

- category 4: in good condition and not forecasted for financial loss.

Category 4 also includes recently renovated houses with no anticipated future costs.

“We were looking at the revenue versus expenses of the program and ... (it) isn’t really part of our mandate,” said Lawson in an interview with the Advertiser.

Some board members stated the termination of the tenancies should move more quickly than 10 to 15 years, but the board approved the recommendation.

After being contacted by the GRCA and told that he and his wife Irene are required to move out of the house within six months, John Svensson appealed and was granted until Sept. 30, 2017. He decided to bring his concerns to the board at the Aug. 26 meeting.

Svensson said he did not want to challenge the board’s decision but was hoping to appeal the criteria and timing of the process.

“As tenants for the past 34 years, I’m sure you can identify with the sheer shock, horror and dismay that we experienced when we were told that we were slated for a six-month termination notice,” he said.

He added the 10- to 15-year timeframe was reasonable.

The house in which the Svenssons live is listed under category 2, and therefore considered a financial liability to the GRCA.

However, Svensson said in his presentation, “Over the years we have invested tens of thousands of dollars in property maintenance, improvements and enhancements.”

He suggested the house belongs in category 4.

“This is not an issue of disposing of buildings but of homes, and by extension, families,” he said.

Lawson said the GRCA is only required to give 120 days notice.

“I think we recognized that some of our tenants have been with us for a significant amount of time, so we’ve also been entering into termination agreements with them,” she said.

“We’ve been able to offer them considerably more time than what is required under the Landlord and Tenant Board.”

She added, “We are exercising out rights under the Residential Tenancies Act in terms of termination of tenancies.”

The board also received a letter from tenants who were hoping to change the fate of their house.

Julie McCann and Zoltan Marton became tenants in 1998 at a property near Guelph Lake and undertook many renovations because they were “house proud.”

In the letter, they stated, “We think we can demonstrate to you that we can preserve this beautiful property while contributing to the GRCA’s revenue and conservation mandate.”

At the August meeting, the board approved two recommendations: one to remove five properties from the rental program, and the other to demolish eight houses formerly under the rental program.

Three of the five properties removed are located in the Guelph Lake Conservation area, and the other two are located in the Elora Gorge and Belwood Lake conservation areas. Two of the properties are still occupied.

Of the eight slated for demolition, one of the properties is still occupied. One property is located in Erin, another in Elora, one in Belwood, one in Kenilworth, one in Cambridge and three in Guelph.

Lawson confirmed cottages on Belwood Lake and Conestogo Lake were not being reviewed under this program.

She added the wind-down is a way to re-evaluate the GRCA’s core mandate.

“The GRCA strategic plan has identified one of the more significant challenges that (it) is facing is the number of assets that we have… and that we only have a limited amount of funding available to maintain those assets,” she said.

Lawson will be presenting another report at the next GRCA board meeting on Sept. 23.