Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

RentSafe Update: From Local Research to Stronger Rental Housing Standards in Owen Sound

On July 27th, Owen Sound City Council approved a new Vital Services By-law and updates to the Property Standards By-law addressing mould and pests.

For those involved with RentSafe Owen Sound, this is an important milestone in work underway for several years to better understand rental housing conditions and find collaborative solutions that support healthy, safe and affordable housing.

The Vital Services By-law establishes clearer responsibilities for landlords to ensure tenants have essential services, including heat, hot and cold water, electricity, gas and, where required under a lease, air conditioning. It also gives the City tools to investigate complaints and to take action when the loss of a vital service creates a health or safety concern.

From Research to Action

In November 2024, the RentSafe Owen Sound Collaborative presented its Landlord & Tenant Survey Findings and recommendations to the City of Owen Sound’s Corporate Services Committee.

The surveys provided an important opportunity to hear from both sides of the rental housing relationship. 545 tenants responded to the tenant survey, representing an estimated 28% of rental units in Owen Sound. The landlord survey included 36 landlords/property managers responsible for nearly 800 units, estimated at approximately 40% of the local rental market.

What we heard demonstrated that housing quality is a shared concern.

RentSafe tenant survey respondents identified significant concerns with temperature, pests, water leaks, mould and indoor air quality.

Among tenant respondents, 73% reported pests/insects other than bedbugs, 71% reported their unit being too hot or too cold, 62% reported water leaks and 47% reported mould. Sixty percent reported anxiety related to the physical condition of their unit.

Landlords also identified challenges maintaining rental properties, including finding contractors, gaining access to units for repairs, maintenance costs and communication with tenants.

Importantly, tenants and landlords identified many of the same housing quality concerns, including temperature control, windows, plumbing and water leaks, pests and bedbugs, and mould. Read the full report here.

We Are All Neighbours

One of the strongest messages from the research was that tenants can feel trapped while landlords can feel stuck.

For tenants, rising rents and limited housing options can make it difficult to leave unhealthy housing. For landlords, maintaining Owen Sound’s older rental housing stock can involve significant costs and challenges.

This is why RentSafe’s work focuses on bringing people together rather than placing responsibility for our housing challenges on one group.

RentSafe seeks solutions that recognize the experiences of tenants and landlords while protecting Owen Sound’s existing affordable rental housing.

What Did RentSafe Recommend?

In 2024, RentSafe presented 3 immediate recommendations to the City.

1. Better rental housing data. We recommended collecting information on habitability issues identified through by-law and fire inspections—including mould, pests, water leaks and broken windows—to better understand conditions in Owen Sound’s older rental housing stock.

2. Clearer standards for mould. We recommended incorporating Ontario’s model mould by-law language into Owen Sound’s Property Standards By-law. The City’s new updates addressing mould and pests represent important progress on an issue identified through the RentSafe research.

3. Support landlords and tenants. We invited the City to be part of solutions that help landlords maintain healthy rental properties while improving effective landlord-tenant relationships. During a housing crisis, we need new affordable housing—but we also need to protect and improve the affordable rental housing we already have.

The Next Question: Extreme Heat

During Council’s July 27th discussion, the question of a “right to cooling” and maximum indoor temperatures was raised. This connects directly with the RentSafe findings: 71% of tenant respondents reported their unit being too hot or too cold.

Under Owen Sound’s new Vital Services By-law, landlords must provide a minimum temperature of 20°C from September 15th to May 31st. Under Section 11-C of the prepared by-law a maximum indoor temperature of 26C is in place, if the lease indicates an air-conditioner and landlords are required to ensure suitable cool air in a unit. Bylaw can charge the landlord if they don’t repair an existing air conditioner and/or if they remove it. 

There is a new provision in the Residential Tenancy Act effective July 1st, 2026, regarding air conditioning, maintenance and repairs as well as utility charges.  Tenants are permitted to install a window or portable air conditioner, even where a lease prohibits it, as long as it meets the prescribed conditions and notifies the landlord in writing.  Seasonal rent increases may be applied by landlords to cover electrical costs.

There are currently no by-laws in Ontario, that require all units to have permanent cooling systems. This would require a retrofit or renovations of buildings which would impact the availability and affordability of rental units in the City. The cities of Toronto and Hamilton are currently researching a Maximum Heat By-Law and the City of Owen Sound will monitor these initiatives.  

This opens an important next conversation for RentSafe.

Healthy Housing Is Also a Climate Issue

Extreme heat increasingly intersects with the issues RentSafe has been working on for years: housing quality, affordability, health and equity.

Older rental buildings can be particularly challenging. Aging windows, inadequate ventilation and limited cooling can increase exposure to extreme temperatures. At the same time, major retrofits can be expensive.

The challenge is finding solutions that improve tenant health and climate resilience without contributing to displacement or the loss of affordable rental housing.

The 2024 RentSafe Owen Sound work identified three interconnected challenges: unit quality concerns, lack of trust and communication, and lack of satisfaction with the rental housing system. It also pointed toward longer-term opportunities, including proactive inspections, stronger community involvement and measures to preserve affordable rental housing.

The adoption of stronger mould, pest and Vital Services standards demonstrates how local research, community collaboration and municipal leadership can translate into action.

As we build on this work, our next question is:

What does healthy, safe, affordable and climate-resilient rental housing look like for Owen Sound?

The Poverty Task Force and our RentSafe partners will continue working with tenants, landlords, the City and community partners to explore this question. Together with RentSafe Ontario we will come together next on September 29th to discuss climate resiliency and rental housing.

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force Community Update #214

Dear Colleagues, 

We recognize the ongoing impact of the almost 200 wildfires in Northern Ontario right now. Thirteen communities have had to evacuate their homes, with First Nations being disproportionately being affected.  Attached are mental health resources compiled by Women’s College Hospital Indigenous Health. 

Across Canada, the impacts of climate change are becoming more visible. Beyond floods, wildfires, and rising temperatures, many people are carrying fear, grief, exhaustion, and a deep sense of uncertainty about the future. These emotional realities are becoming more common, but they are still rarely named or addressed in formal climate action spaces.

  • In Bow Valley, Alberta, the Active Hope: Navigating Climate Grief & Anxiety workshops offered a different way forward. Led by the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, with support from the Tamarack Institute, this initiative created welcoming and culturally grounded spaces where people could come together to talk honestly about how climate change feels and what it means for their lives, their communities, and the places they love and call home. 
  • In Grey Bruce, we are feeling the impact of the wildfires on our air quality. Our current work at RentSafe Owen Sound in partnership with RentSafe Ontario explores the feasibility of improving climate resilience in low-income rental housing. Our discussions focus on the impacts of extreme heat, poor air quality, flooding, mould, and other climate-related challenges, as well as opportunities to strengthen existing policies, programs, and partnerships. 

NEW REPORTS

  • The Vital Signs 2026 Report was released on June 17th Vital Signs 2026 – Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force as well as the Vial Signs Data Document.
  • CFOS Open Line: Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force joined Stuart Reid, Executive Director, Community Foundation GB and Vital Signs Chair Alanna Leffley on CFOS Open Line to discuss the newly released Vital Signs Report. Together, they explored the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping our communities. The conversation highlights important topics like housing affordability, community well-being, environmental sustainability, and the strength of local partnerships. Listen now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox2OR7UVk8U

HOUSING

  • City of Owen Sound Agenda: the minutes of the City of Owen Sound Corporate Services Committee from July 9th are on the Agenda for approval of Vital Services By-Law and updates to mould by-laws within Property Standards By-Law on July 27th. These were recommendations put forth by RentSafe Owen Sound to the City in 2024. eSCRIBE Minutes Video of discussion on Vital Services By-Law and strengthening mould by-laws can be found here.  
  • RentSafe Owen Sound Climate Resiliency Roundtable: will be held on Tuesday, September 29th, 12noon to 4:30pm (includes lunch), Community Impact Lab, Sydenham Campus, Owen Sound. This collaborative session will be led by Jessica Flynn, Community Impact Lab and Geri Blinick, RentSafe Ontario/Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment (CPCHE).
    • Public health professionals, environmental experts, rental housing providers, legal advocates, county planners, landlords, tenants, and community service organizations have been invited to explore the feasibility of improving climate resilience in low-income rental housing in the City of Owen Sound.
    • For more information, please review our backgrounder and learn more about RentSafe’s Collaborating for Climate Resilience project. Register here.
  • Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST): has been awarded funding to extend the work of Bruce County Outreach. They will deliver wraparound support to individuals experiencing substance use challenges and overdose risk. COAST will use real-time data to guide targeted outreach in high-need areas, alongside scheduled community engagement. A mobile medical van will be introduced in the future; however in the interim, the team will operate from a decommissioned and rebranded ambulance. Funding is confirmed through March 31, 2027. Bruce County launches COAST | Bruce County

HEALTH EQUITY 

INCOME SECURITY 

FOOD SECURITY 

  • Grey Bruce Food Share Expansion: 40 people from 23 partner organizations involved with the Grey Bruce Food Share/Food Rescue and the Food Security Action Group met on June 26th at the new OSHaRE Food Depot (767 2nd Avenue East, Owen Sound).
    • Partners learned about the expansion of the food rescue program. There is a new online ordering system which requires new registration, ordering, and reporting.
    • All organizations accessing the program must register with Second Harvest’s Food Rescue and register with OSHaRE’s online ordering portal.
    • Contact Colleen Seaman Trask, info@oshare.ca, to receive access to the ordering portal. 
    • Orders online will be reserved for registered organizations, but there will also be a grab-and-go section and sharing boxes at the Food Depot.
    • Orders will be made on Mondays, the depot closed on Tuesdays to fill orders and Wednesday to Saturday am for organizations to pick-up. Any food not picked up by the next Monday will be returned to the inventory.  OSHaRE will also announce Depot Days for clearing out excess food; no ordering required. Organization ID cards will be issued to allow shopping/pickup. It is mandatory to weigh and record all food.   
  • Food Insecurity in Southwestern Ontario: Public health units across the region are concerned about the growing number of households struggling to afford basic needs, including food. In 2024, 1 in 4 households in the Southwestern Ontario region experienced household food insecurity, meaning they did not have reliable access to enough food due to financial challenges (Public Health Ontario, 2025). Rising housing and living costs are forcing many individuals and families to make difficult choices between paying rent and buying groceries. News Releases

ALL CANDIDATES EDUCATION SESSION

  • The Next Poverty Task Force Meeting will be on Friday, September 18th, 2026, 10am-11:30am and it will be a Poverty 101 Panel presentation/discussion with All Municipal Candidates.  A poster and details for the event will be sent out to all candidates.  Poverty Task Force Partners are invited to contact Jill Umbach, povertytaskforce@unitedwaybg.com, if you are interested in joining our panel of presenters.  

Cheers, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Advocacy, Food Security Action Group, Income Security, Income Security Action Group, Poverty Task Force

Written Submission to the Federal 2026 Pre-Budget Consultation

Between 2021 and 2023, 18.3% of households in Grey Bruce experienced food insecurity, an increase from 17.5% in 2020. At the same time, the cost of groceries has become unaffordable for many families. In 2024, a family of four required approximately $1,250 per month for groceries alone.

These are not just statistics —they show a crisis in our communities rooted in poverty, policy, and systemic inequality. Food insecurity is not a matter of charity. It is a matter of justice.

The Poverty Task Force’s recent Written Submission to the Federal 2026 Pre-Budget Consultation urges the Government of Canada to take immediate action in its 2026 Budget to address rising poverty, food insecurity, homelessness, and economic inequality in rural communities. Across Grey and Bruce Counties, local organizations are facing unprecedented demand for emergency food programs, housing supports, and financial assistance while families struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Rural communities are increasingly being asked to compensate for gaps in public policy through charitable food programs and emergency supports. While these programs are vital, they cannot replace strong income security systems, affordable housing, accessible childcare, and equitable social supports.

Food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty are not caused by individual failure. They are the result of inadequate incomes, unaffordable housing, low wages, and insufficient public investment in social infrastructure. Budget 2026 presents an opportunity for the federal government to strengthen Canada’s social safety net and ensure that all Canadians can meet their basic needs with dignity.

A Call to Action

Food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty are not caused by individual failure. They are the result of inadequate incomes, unaffordable housing, low wages, and insufficient public investment in social infrastructure. Budget 2026 presents an opportunity for the federal government to strengthen Canada’s social safety net and ensure that all Canadians can meet their basic needs with dignity.

The Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force recommends the following federal priorities:

  • Improve transportation and employment opportunities for youth.
  • Reduce household food insecurity through stronger income supports and investments in equitable food systems.
  • Strengthen the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
  • Increase the Canada Disability Benefit to end disability poverty.
  • Simplify and expand eligibility for disability-related federal benefits.
  • Invest in affordable childcare and the early learning workforce.
  • Expand affordable and supportive housing in rural communities.
Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

United Ways of Ontario Call for the Province to repeal Schedule 12, Bill 60, the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025

Ontario is at a critical point. Housing need is rising, homelessness is growing, federal investment is starting to move but new home construction is slowing in Ontario. The Province’s goal to create conditions for faster homebuilding, through predictable approvals and transit-oriented projects makes sense but decisions made now will set the course for years.

The legislative changes to the Residential Tenancies Act in Schedule 12 of Bill 60, move policy in the wrong direction and will serve to escalate the homelessness crisis across Ontario. They weaken security of tenure, speed eviction and narrow review windows. This is not a solution for people who are precariously housed and will level even greater pressure on municipalities and community agencies struggling to address need.

The focus should be on keeping people housed while new supply comes online. That means maintaining reasonable grace periods for arrears, ensuring tenants can raise legitimate health and safety concerns without undue barriers, preserving fair compensation and clear standards in no-fault evictions with consequences for bad-faith cases and keeping review and appeal timelines workable so disputes are resolved on their merits. These measures protect due process, prevent avoidable evictions, and steady the system as we build.

We join colleagues from across the community services sector in calling on the Province to repeal Schedule 12 of Bill 60 and commit to meaningful consultation with tenants, sector partners and municipalities on proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act and provincial housing policies that impact tenants.

United Ways across Ontario partner with regional and municipal governments and are ready to work with the Province to keep people housed while Ontario builds the homes our communities need.

Please find a link to the statement on the UWGT website:  https://www.unitedwaygt.org/public-policy/united-ways-of-ontario-call-for-the-province-to-repeal-schedule-12-bill-60-the-fighting-delays-building-faster-act-2025/