In light of Brampton’s housing crisis and influx of international students, rental exploitation continues to exacerbate. Yet an insightful dialogue with one city council member discusses a series of strategic action plans to help mitigate the crisis. 

photo of Brampton City Council room
Photo by Micaela Bellomo

The City of Brampton continues to seek resolution for its rental crisis by implementing developments encouraged to prevent the ongoing exploitation of international students. 

Launched in January 2024, Brampton’s Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) pilot program has laid groundwork in enforcing living and safety standards for residential rental units in Wards 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7. 

Coun. Paul Vicente of Wards 1 and 5 has been involved with other members of city council in making strides to ensure compliance by landlords in city bylaws. 

The Residential Rental Licensing program, says Coun. Vicente in an interview, “was created by council as a way to obtain greater accountability from individuals who choose to rent out their properties. 

photo of protest with placards
Photo by Brampton Housing Providers Association

It is our goal to ensure that if individuals choose to rent out their properties,” Vicente says, that they are doing so in accordance with all the applicable rules, regulations, … codes, and bylaws as they apply.”

Commissioning the RRL program has not been entirely well-received by Brampton landlords, with members of the Brampton Housing Providers Association (BHPA) protesting the new regulations. 

The BHPA has expressed concern in potentially receiving fines for violations outside of their control, including situations where tenants break agreements of occupancy limits outlined in their lease. 

Where we see a landlord is dealing with an infraction of that kind to their lease agreement, affecting their ability to comply with the city’s bylaws, we will actually work with them and give them time to deal with the tenant issue,” Coun. Vicente says.Where we see a landlord is not looking to address [overpopulation] of the lease … then they would be in violation of the city’s rules and that becomes an issue. 

Additionally, the City of Brampton plans to enforce a residential rental property occupancy limit, which would aim to address issues of illegal multi-tenant houses and excessive subletting by tenants. 

It’s important that landlords have very clear expectations and contractual agreements made between them and their tenants,” Vicente says on cases of excessive subletting, “to ensure that does not happen. 

Excessive numbers of tenants in a single unit have been an ongoing issue in Brampton, with cases of extreme living conditions for renters. In fact, research from Statistics Canada shows during  2021, Brampton had the highest percentage of international students living in unsuitable homes in Canada. 

To illustrate, 63 per cent of the 14,770 international students in Brampton were living in unsuitable homes, ranking highest amongst the top 10 study permit holding cities in Canada. 

International students have been a target of exploitation by landlords and subletters in Brampton, with online advertisements offering “mutual beneficial arrangements” for young female tenants. 

It is very disappointing to hear that any landlord would try to enter into anything other than a cash arrangement,” Coun. Vicente speaks on inappropriate online ads, “I think most people would agree that that kind of behaviour is repugnant and should not be tolerated. 

If ever they are confronted with that kind of behaviour, they should report it to us so that we are aware, and they should move onto the next [landlord],” Vicente remarks on international students who come across proposals for inappropriate rental arrangements.  

The Brampton Charter for Improving the International Student Experience, in coordination with Sheridan College, aims to make a positive difference in the lives of Brampton-residing international students. Through “shared principles, recommended actions and mechanisms for accountability”, the action plan aims to educate international students on their rights highlighted in the Landlord and Tenant Act. 

Out of Sheridan Colleges’s 40,000 enrolled students, 15,443 are international students, making up 38 per cent of their student body. The institute’s Davis Campus in Brampton holds the largest portion of Sheridan students compared to its Mississauga and Oakville branches.  

At the City of Brampton,” Vicente states, “we are working to make sure that, in particular, international students who may be very vulnerable, understand their rights and understand that they don’t need to tolerate behaviour like that. 

Brampton has shown strategic plans to address the international student predicament, with the city council approving on mid-rise and high-rise development. 

Developers have planned for a new community in Brampton which would include a 10-storey apartment building with 143 one-bedroom units and 27 three-bedroom units. 

There’s a lot of pressure on housing and … demand for affordable, safe spaces,” says Vicente on the topic of development, “We have been very progressive … in approving mid-rise and high-rise developments here in the City of Brampton. 

With an increased focus on improving safety and living standards in Brampton, the city continues its plans to expand more rental spaces to help appease the housing crisis. 

“In the City of Brampton, we are famously underbuilt when it comes to rental property,” Coun. Vicente explains, “That is changing.”