Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has hailed the city’s Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) pilot program as a major success, with plans underway to expand it to additional wards and possibly make it a permanent city-wide initiative.
Speaking at a news conference on February 20, Mayor Brown confirmed that the two-year pilot program, initially launched in Wards 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7, has significantly improved rental unit safety and compliance.
- Nearly 9,000 rental units registered since January 2024.
- Over 3,200 licenses issued to landlords.
- 835 proactive inspections conducted to ensure compliance.
- 142 inspection blitzes addressing safety complaints.
- 188 penalty notices issued, amounting to $121,000 in fines.
- 101 educational warning notices sent to landlords.
Brown emphasized that the program, designed to tackle illegal and unsafe additional residential units (ARUs) and rooming houses, has addressed housing concerns raised by the rapid growth of international student populations and overcrowded rental units.
“We’ve all heard the stories of 25 international students living in a single basement apartment. The focus of this program was to target areas where the problem was greatest,” Brown stated.
The decision to expand the program will rest with ward councillors, but Brown confirmed that Councillors Michael Palleschi (Ward 2) and Navjit Kaur Brar (Ward 6) have expressed interest in opting in.
“I’d love to see this city-wide, but we’ve set up a framework where it’s up to the ward councillors,” Brown said.
While the program has received widespread public support, it has also faced strong opposition from landlord groups, including the Brampton Housing Providers Association (BHPA).
Landlords argue that the program unfairly penalizes law-abiding property owners while failing to properly target illegal and unlicensed rental units. The BHPA has labeled the initiative a ‘cash grab’, criticizing the requirement for landlords to submit to random inspections.
Despite this opposition, Brown has remained firm in his stance, stating:
“95% of the city supports this initiative. You’re always going to have some loud, noisy protesters when embarking on important change. But that doesn’t deter us.”
- Council Review: The RRL program will be evaluated after its two-year pilot phase, with expansion likely based on ward-level decisions.
- Stronger Enforcement: Continued inspections and fines to deter illegal rental activity and improve tenant safety.
- Potential City-Wide Implementation: If adopted in more wards, the program could become a permanent bylaw across Brampton.
As Brampton continues to address housing safety and affordability, the expansion of the Residential Rental Licensing program could reshape the city’s rental market in the years ahead.