Brampton council to vote on policy - Adding secondary suites

NRU
April 15, 2015
By Leah Wong

Next week Brampton councillors will vote on a second unit policy that seeks to increase the amount of safe affordable housing in the city.

Brampton’s planning committee has recommended council approve the new policy, which will bring the city into compliance with provincial legislation. The province’s long-term affordable housing strategy requires municipalities to implement policies that permit second units.

“In a rapidly growing city like Brampton, second units will provide an affordable housing option for those on a fixed income,” Mayor Linda Jeffrey said in a press release. “Brampton is now stepping forward to comply with provincial legislation, while at the same time making sure these units are safe, legal and liveable.”

Planning policy & growth management director Heather MacDonald isn’t sure how many second units there are in the city, though she said staff estimates there are thousands. There are between 2,000 and 3,000 legal units that were registered when the city permitted units between 1994 and 1995.

“For the most part they’re illegal, which means that they’re there and they are providing housing but [possibly] not safe housing,” said MacDonald. Registered units will have to comply with the Ontario Building Code, fi re code and city by-laws.

By registering the units the city will also be able to track where they are located, which will help determine service levels needed in different areas of the city.

In 2014 council raised concerns with the proposed second unit strategy and identified three issues that needed to be addressed before the policy could advance - the allowed floor area of second units, protection from urban flooding and proof of insurance.

If council approves the policy secondary units will be permitted in detached, semi-detached and townhouse dwellings. Homeowners are only permitted to add one second unit per residential property and the floor area of the unit must not exceed 45 per cent of the home’s gross floor area. Secondary units in bungalows can cover up to 75 per cent of the gross floor area.

“Previously we had [recommended] 45 per cent for all housing types, but it was recognized that for bungalows that doesn’t work all that well,” said MacDonald. Through the consultation process residents suggested that the 45 percent gross floor area limit would make it difficult to create appropriately sized units in bungalows.

During last year’s consultation process councillors raised concerns about the potential for flooding in second units and asked staff to look into the possibility of restricting units in areas that have been affected by floods in the past.

While the proposed zoning by-law does not allow second units within flood plain areas it will not further restrict units in areas that have previously flooded. A letter from Peel Region staff to city staff said that restricting second units due to occurrences of urban flooding is “contrary to the spirit of Bill 140.” Brampton will instead make efforts to educate the public and homeowners on how to mitigate risks of basement flooding.

“You can’t really predict where [urban flooding] is going to happen,” said MacDonald. “So we did not recommend excluding any areas of the city from allowing second units.”

MacDonald said that the city’s education and communication strategy is an important part of the implementation process.

The city is working with the Insurance Bureau of Canada to distribute brochures for landlords and tenants about secondary suites, which have been translated into a number of languages. Registration of secondary units with the city is necessary for homeowners to properly insure their homes.

“Right now, I don’t know if homeowners really understand the risk that they run when they have illegal second units,” said MacDonald. “If there is an event such as a fi re, in their home, then they may not be covered by their insurance if their second unit is illegal.”

When homeowners register a second unit they will have to provide proof of insurance. However, as registration for the units is one-time and not licensed on an annual basis there is no mechanism for the city to follow-up and ensure homeowners maintain adequate insurance policies.

The city has also produced its own video that gives all of the facts about the new policy, which can be played on televisions in city facilities.

If approved by council the policy will take effect June 22, at which time the city will start registering second units.