Toronto City Council has created a Tenant Defence Fund to assist tenant groups who are disputing their landlords' applications for above-guideline rent increases or applications for demolitions or conversion of their buildings to condominiums. The Tenant Defence Fund Program provides financial support to tenant groups through a Tenant Support Grant. The program also funds an Outreach and Organizing Team from the Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations (FMTA) to help tenants organize, prepare for their disputes and apply for a Tenant Support Grant. The FMTA Outreach Team can be reached at 416-413-9442.
The Tenant Defence Subcommittee, made up of eight members of City Council, monitors the Tenant Defence Fund Program and reports to the Community Services Committee.
The Subcommittee receives reports from staff on the results of grant applications submitted by tenant groups under the Tenant Support Grant Program of the Tenant Defence Fund, and recommends to the Community Services Committee the approval of grant applications which did not meet the eligibility criteria for a grant but which the Subcommittee feels is in the City's interests to approve.
