2023 was a busy year for SOLO. Not only have we not stopped, we’ve stepped up our campaign to bring fairness to housing providers in Ontario. Here are some of the things SOLO was working on this year.
In early 2023, SOLO launched a new podcast called Going SOLO. Over the year we’ve had a number of guests and continue to work one avenues to get Small landlord’s stories out there. The podcast is available anywhere you get podcasts.
In May, a ground shaking report was published by Paul Dubé, Ontario’s Ombudsman. The report exposed several inefficiencies in the Landlord Tenant Bord and called for a full 61 changes to the LTB’s processes. This report also exposed some very crucial realities felt by all small landlords in Ontario. First, given that the Ombudsman is a watchdog without teeth, this report only led to recommendations that the LTB was not required to implement. Many SOLO members turned to the Ombudsman to share their nightmares with this institution. In addition, it was clear that, while the LTB appeared to take these recommendations seriously, their progress in implementing any changes was not public information. For the many small landlords losing millions of dollars in unpaid rent, this report was cold comfort.
Then there was Elsie. A big part of her story played out over the course of 2023. After going viral in the fall of 2022, she made the brave choice to fight the government head on. With the help of Marshall law, Elsie mounted a class action lawsuit for the forced taking of all landlord’s properties. If successful, this would have led to compensation for all small landlords struggling with the moribund LTB. In September of 2023, SOLO landlords rallied around Elsie for her first court appearance in Cayuga, Ontario.
This was not to be as the court struck down the case in favour of the Ontario Government. Adding insult to injury, the Government was awarded $25,900.49 in compensation. You can read the full text of the decision here. SOLO then helped work to Elsie to set up an important GoFundMe campaign to cover those court costs.
Later in the year, the LTB released its annual report showing most landlords what we already knew: They were not clearing the backlog. In fact, while case intake had increased some 25% from 2021-22, the number of cases they resolved over the year had actually decreased. At the LTB’s most recent stakeholder’s meeting, there were an abundance of excuses and more promises, but no tangible solutions to so many nightmares province-wide.
At SOLO, we continued our outreach to landlords, working seven days a week helping them fight an recover from so many difficulties. We continued to tell the stories of all landlords willing to share. Direct landlord outreach continues to be a major pillar of what we do. In addition, our board members appeared on every media outlet speaking up about these issues and we continue to do so.
This year, board member Kevin Costain published a book about his harrowing tenant experience. From Rent to Ruin: The True Story of My Tenant Nightmare was released in October of 2023 to print and electronic formats.
In November, SOLO ran its First Annual Conference. The sold-out event was a packed with a powerful keynote and many learning opportunities for small housing providers. Many of our supporters were able to connect and network with other landlords and industry professionals.
And we took to the streets! On three different occasions SOLO landlords gathered in large numbers to protest in Mississauga, Queens Park, and in front of Oliva Chow’s offices. Over the year, our numbers grew and we made it clear that we’re serious about making changes for small landlords.
In 2023, SOLO also registered as a lobby group in Ontario. We look forward to working more directly with the government while advocating for all small landlords.
As ever, we continue to take this fight for fairness to the government of Ontario. SOLO is the only organization that answers the phone, fielding countless calls throughout the year. Setbacks are difficult, but we are growing in numbers and are more unified than ever. Our process of registering and connecting to small landlords improved by leaps and bounds. Our high-quality Facebook group alone saw a milestone of 8,000 members. The list of SOLO-vetted landlords continues to grow as we improve our processes.
SOLO continues to seek volunteers. If you can help, let us know. If you are a landlord that would like to join us in this fight, please stand up and register, it’s free and includes many great resources like the SOLO Landlord Wiki.
