Ontario government permits community housing providers to reject tenants evicted for crimes

TORONTO – Ontario will allow community housing providers to reject tenants who have previously been evicted for criminal activity.

Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark says the government is moving ahead today with a promise it made earlier this year to make community housing safer for all tenants.

Clark says if a tenant gets evicted for such illegal activities as drug trafficking, assault or damaging property, under the old rules they could reapply to live in the same building.

Starting today, social housing managers across the province can now turn those people away if they reapply.

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Toronto Mayor John Tory has been pushing for the change and says it sends a message that criminals are not welcome in community housing.

The measure is part of a new strategy the province announced earlier this year to help create more housing and combat homelessness.