County, specifically amendments to the Housing Services’ process es and protocols i.e., Local Rules Windsor Essex and RGI Verification Guidelines. The implementation of these legislative changes has been a collaborative effort between the Housing Services division, Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation and the CHR-WEC, as well as consultation with our Legal Services division on the associated revisions to our Local Rules and RGI Verification Guidelines.

Wait List Changes – Community Safety

This change to Ontario Regulation 367/11 gives housing providers the authority to refuse to re-house a household based on a previous eviction for serious criminal activity. The amendment came into effect on September 23, 2019.

As a result of this change a social housing provider:

• May refuse to offer a unit to a household if a member of the household was previously ordered evicted from community housing by the Landlord and Tenant Board ( the “ LTB ” ) due to illegal activity;

• Must have reasonable grounds to believe that the household would pose a risk to the safety of other people at the housing project (i.e. other residents, staff); and

• This only applies where the LTB has ordered an eviction based on “N6” for illegal activity; it does NOT apply where the LTB ordered an eviction based on an N6 for misrepresentation of income.

The social housing provider’s ability to refuse to house the previously evicted household applies:

• For a time period of five years from when the household was ordered evicted;

• Whether the previous eviction was from the same community housing provider or a different community housing provider (including co-op housing); and

• Equally to special needs housing units and a household who had previous membership in a social housing co-op terminated by the LTB due to illegal activity.

This legislative change prompted changes to our Local Rules and RGI Verification Guidelines allowing:

• Social housing providers the right to refuse to offer a social housing unit where a member of the household was previously evicted from a designated housing project through an order by the LTB based on an illegal act within the past five (5) years; and

• Social housing provider has reasonable grounds to believe that the household would pose a risk to the safety of other people i.e., tenants/staff at the housing project.