The City of Brampton is doubling down on its commitment to community safety by addressing noncompliance with its Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) pilot program and cracking down on illegal parking and property standards violations. During a February 20 news conference at City Hall, Mayor Patrick Brown and Wards 1 and 5 Councillor Rowena Santos outlined significant updates to these initiatives, emphasizing that public safety—not revenue—is the driving force behind these efforts.
Launched as a two-year pilot, the RRL program mandates that landlords with four or fewer rental units in Wards 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 obtain a special license and submit to inspections to ensure compliance with municipal bylaws, fire codes, and safety standards. To date, nearly 9,000 residential rental units have been registered across these wards, with over 3,200 licenses issued.
To encourage further participation, the City announced it will waive the $300 RRL registration fee for the remainder of 2025 and provide a complimentary smoke alarm to newly registered landlords. “We’ve heard concerns that this is about revenue generation—it’s not,” Mayor Brown stated. “It’s always been about safety. Every call I receive from the fire chief about a basement fire fatality is one too many. We’re doing everything possible to keep secondary suites safe.”
Brown underscored the program’s role in tackling Brampton’s persistent illegal rental and rooming house issues, which have led to overcrowding, unsafe living conditions, and related challenges like illegal parking and noise violations. He warned non-compliant landlords that enforcement is now in full swing, bolstered by a fully expanded bylaw department. “Brampton will not turn a blind eye,” he said. “Significant fines await those who don’t comply, but we’re offering a no-fee registration and a free smoke alarm to those who work with us.”
Councillor Rowena Santos highlighted the City’s bolstered enforcement capacity, noting the addition of 40 new staff—including 38 bylaw officers and two support positions—completed following a staffing model implemented in June 2024. This expansion addresses a critical gap identified in April 2024, when staff reported that over 50% of approximately 75,000 annual illegal parking complaints went unanswered due to insufficient resources.
“Since June, we’ve enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of our enforcement efforts,” Santos said. “Our expanded team is now equipped to tackle the issues that matter most to our community.” She outlined new priorities, including proactive parking enforcement in high-demand areas and a focus on time-sensitive property standards issues, such as overgrown grass or ongoing construction, which will now be classified as “Priority One” tasks for bylaw officers.
On March 13, the City further announced a 50% increase in fines for second and subsequent parking offences to strengthen compliance. Affected violations include:
- Parking within three metres of a fire hydrant
- Parking in excess of three hours
- Parking between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM
- Obstructing traffic
“Parking bylaws ensure our streets remain safe and accessible for pedestrians, cyclists, emergency responders, and transit users,” the City stated in a release. “Noncompliance creates congestion, blocks roads, and endangers our community.”
The RRL pilot and enhanced enforcement measures reflect Brampton’s proactive response to long-standing challenges. “This is about creating a safer, more livable city,” Santos concluded. “By addressing rental safety and parking violations head-on, we’re meeting the urgent needs of our residents.”