The City of Sarnia is developing a Rental Renovation By-Law to prevent bad faith renovictions and is currently seeking feedback from tenants and landlords via an online survey and a public meeting on May 13.
The City of Sarnia has launched a public engagement campaign as it develops a new Rental Renovation By-Law aimed at protecting local tenants from "renovictions." A community survey is now live at speakupsarnia.ca/Renovictions, and a public input session is scheduled for mid-May.
A renoviction occurs when a landlord evicts a tenant in bad faith under the guise of performing renovations, only to re-rent the unit to someone else at a higher rate. This practice involves bypassing legal obligations set out in the Residential Tenancies Act. The proposed by-law would require landlords to obtain a specific licence before starting any work that requires a building permit and necessitates a tenant moving out.
Assistant City Solicitor Randi Kalar says the city is looking to stakeholders, including both tenants and landlords, to share their experiences. This input will be used to inform the actual language of the draft by-law.
The online survey is designed to collect data on current housing stocks, renovation requirements, and personal experiences with renovictions. Residents have until 4 p.m. on May 22, 2026, to submit their feedback through the digital portal.
In addition to the survey, the City will host an in-person Public Input Session on May 13, 2026. The meeting will take place at the Pat Stapleton Arena from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., offering property owners and residents a face-to-face opportunity to share insights.
Once the consultation period ends, city staff will report findings and a draft Rental Renovation By-Law back to Council. The proposed system aims to create a formal oversight process for renovations that require tenants to vacate their homes.
