Brampton Councillor Rowena Santos is urging immediate action to expand and strengthen the City’s Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) Program following a devastating house fire that claimed multiple lives in Brampton. The tragic incident occurred outside the current RRL pilot zone, making it clear that unsafe rental conditions pose risks across the city—not just in select neighbourhoods. In response, Councillor Santos, supported by Councillor Dennis Keenan, introduced a motion today to fast-track city-wide implementation of the program and to call on the Province for stronger support and enforcement tools.
“This heartbreaking tragedy is a painful reminder that unsafe rental conditions are not limited to one neighbourhood or ward,” said Councillor Santos. “Every resident in Brampton deserves to live in a home that meets basic safety standards. Today’s Council decision to move toward a city-wide rollout of the RRL program is the right step to protect lives.”
Councillor Santos has backed the RRL initiative since its introduction in 2022 and its launch in 2024, recognizing it as a vital tool for landlord accountability, mandatory safety declarations, insurance requirements, and proactive inspections designed to keep tenants safe. The strengthened program approved by Council includes additional protections and the hiring of four new Fire Prevention Officers to expand inspection capacity.
However, Councillor Santos stressed that municipalities cannot solve these challenges on their own. She highlighted that while the Province mandated the creation of Additional Residential Units across Ontario, cities were not provided with the funding or authority needed to ensure these units are safe, legal, and properly maintained.
“Brampton now has tens of thousands of additional rental units, and the enforcement burden has been pushed onto local fire, building, and by-law teams. We need the Province to step up and provide long-term support,” she said.
Emphasizing the urgency, Councillor Santos added, “One preventable loss of life is a tragedy. We cannot allow this to happen again. We need dedicated funding, stronger legislative authority, and a true partnership from the Province to ensure safe housing for everyone in Brampton.”
Looking ahead, Councillor Santos is calling for more inspectors and fire prevention officers, sustained provincial and federal funding, legislative reforms to strengthen municipal enforcement powers, and continued protection of safe, affordable rental housing for Brampton residents.