At Planning & Development Committee (PDC) on September 25th, Council approved adding clarifying updates to the Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP). The updates intend to increase the clarity and transparency of the TAP in advance of considering the development of a tenant protection bylaw in the future. 

Proposed changes include: 

• Support for Tenants with Pets – Proposed wording be added to the policy concerning requirements for Tenant Relocation Coordinators (TRCs) to find pet-friendly interim housing options for Option 1: Applicant-secured interim housing and that tenants be offered a pet-friendly replacement unit based on the number and size of the pets that the tenant was permitted in the unit at the rezoning site. 
• Switching from Top-up to Lump Sum Compensation – Additional text proposed explaining that if a tenant has secured interim housing for which the rent is the same or less than that at the rezoning site and they elect to switch to a lump sum payment, then the number of months the tenant has lived in that interim housing unit will be subtracted from the lump sum payment calculation. 
• Timing of TAP Bonding – Wording proposed clarifying that bonding is to be submitted before Final Adoption of the rezoning bylaw, or issuance of a Demolition Permit, whichever comes first.   
• Communication with Ineligible Tenants – Staff propose communications with ineligible tenants from the TAP Guide to the policy require that applicants inform prospective tenants that (1) the site is subject to an active reasoning which may result in their displacement and (2) that the prospective tenant will be ineligible for any compensation or support under the TAP policy. 
• Removal of Checklist from TAP and Include it as a Schedule to TAP – Proposed removing the condensed checklist from the TAP text and instead attaching the Tenant Assistance Policy Checklist as Schedule A to the policy. 
• Additional Clarifications 
• Clarification that tenants living in illegal units created by the property owner may be eligible, as outlined in the TAP Guide; 
• Clarification that tenants evicted for cause are ineligible as outlined in RUZP;  
• Clarification that the interim period applies to both top-ups and lump sums; 
• Clarifying how the TAP bond is calculated as outlined in the TAP Guide; and 
• Clarification that moving compensation should be provided to all tenants that return to the replacement building, including inclusionary units. 

City staff expect more information to be shared from the Province this fall regarding next steps on Tenant Protection Bylaws and staff plan to bring forward a report to Council in the future to review the merits of pursuing the development of a Tenant Protection Bylaw. As part of that review, staff will consider Council’s motion to expand TAP eligibility to include secondary rental units (not being consolidated with a purpose-built rental building). 

More information can be found in the full report by City staff, clarifying text, and the proposed changes to the policy.