Brampton residents are being asked to weigh in on potential changes to the city’s lodging house rules, with proposals that could open the door to citywide zoning.
A review launched earlier this summer highlights the tension between affordable housing needs and community standards. Since 2020, the city has fielded roughly 3,500 complaints tied to rooming houses. In one case, Mayor Patrick Brown revealed inspectors found 25 students crammed into a single basement unit.
Lodging houses — defined as homes where tenants rent individual rooms while sharing kitchens or bathrooms — are a vital source of low-cost housing, but also a source of safety and enforcement challenges. The city’s report lays out three paths forward: expanding zoning citywide, restricting rooming houses to designated “Urban Growth Areas,” or allowing only approved operators like non-profit organizations to run them.
Brampton’s Residential Rental Licensing program, introduced last year, already requires landlords renting four or more units to register with the city. But council is now considering broader changes to zoning bylaws to bring consistency and stronger oversight.
Residents can complete an online survey until October 3, sharing their views on the importance of regulating rental housing and preserving affordability. Feedback will help guide council’s decision on whether to expand, restrict, or tighten control of lodging houses.
The city says it hopes the review will ensure safe, affordable housing while reducing neighbourhood conflicts and curbing unsafe, overcrowded conditions. To learn more or fill out the survey, visit www.Brampton.ca.