Brampton, ON – At its meeting on June 25, Brampton City Council approved two major housing reforms to improve safety, accountability, and affordability in the city’s rental market. Both initiatives have been championed by Councillor Santos and Councillor Keenan since the beginning of this term, with strong support from Santos throughout.
Council voted to expand the City’s Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) Program and adopt a Work Plan to Update Lodging House Policies. Together, these reforms represent a more modern, balanced, and community-focused approach to managing rental housing within existing residential neighbourhoods.
“Brampton is growing rapidly, and our housing policies must keep pace with the realities facing our residents,” said Councillor Santos. “These reforms give responsible landlords the tools to do things right, and give the City the authority to act when things go wrong. We have been regularly checking in on this pilot program and making enhancements throughout, including occupancy limits.”
Since its launch in 2024, the RRL program has issued over 3,400 licenses and completed 1,900 investigations, uncovering hundreds of violations. The newly approved expansion will extend the program into Wards 2 and 8 beginning in 2026 and introduce several key improvements, including the creation of a new Rental Compliance Unit and a Certified Rental Registry to track legal units and guide enforcement.
“Residents have been clear: they want action on illegal and unsafe rentals, overcrowding, and declining property standards,” said Santos. “This new compliance unit will ensure consistent enforcement in areas being piloted, while also supporting responsible landlords through education—not just penalties.”
In a complementary move, Council also passed the Work Plan to Update Lodging House Policies, another important step in modernizing how Brampton regulates multi-tenant housing. Lodging houses have long filled a vital gap in our affordable housing system, particularly for students, newcomers, and single renters. However, without a proper legal framework, the City has struggled to regulate them effectively.
“This plan finally gives the City the legal and practical tools we need to bring these units into the regulated system, where they can be managed safely and fairly,” said Santos.
Councillor Santos emphasized that both reforms are about creating safer, more sustainable communities.
“At the end of the day, this is about fairness—for tenants seeking safe, affordable housing; for landlords navigating complex rules; and for the neighbourhoods we all call home,” added Santos. “When rental housing is well-managed, everyone wins. With these reforms, Brampton is showing how to get it right.”
Public consultations on the next phase of implementation are expected to begin later this year.
Media Contact: rowena.santos@brampton.ca
Related Post
