Students are protesting a South Keys condo board’s recent ruling that bans students from renting units in the area.
Carleton student Nicholas McLeod, tenant and advocate on behalf of students in the area, condemned Carleton Condominium Corporation No 24’s ruling to only allow single-family renters, effectively ruling out students.
Carleton Condominium Corporation No 24 is responsible for 257 units on Southgate Road, according to McLeod.
“I’m a renter here, and I want to continue living here,” McLeod said. “I want to live where I want to live, and not be told [I have to leave] by 50-year-old people who have an irrational hatred for young people. I want to continue living in the neighbourhood I’ve been living in for three years.”
The ruling is grandfathered, meaning students living in the building under current leases will be allowed to remain, and the rule will apply to all future cases, he said.
McLeod said he’s never had issues with tenants complaining about him making too much noise.
“[There are] three or four bad houses, sure,” he said.
McLeod said it isn’t fair to evict all students from the area because of a few bad houses. The solution is to deal with the individual cases, not generalize the problem.
The board of directors didn’t notify tenants or discuss the issue before proceeding with the meeting and subsequent ruling, he said.
“On [Oct. 22], we got the rule that they passed on [Oct. 21] in our mailboxes,” he said. “They hoped to sneak it under without anyone noticing . . . or without anyone challenging them.”
Lorne Anderson, president of the condo board, couldn’t be reached for comment, and the condo board’s office staff said they couldn’t speak on the matter.
Homeowners seem to be divided on the issue, with some vehemently opposed to student presence in the area, and some flooding McLeod’s inbox with supportive emails, McLeod said.
“As I was going around the community handing out flyers, there was one lady who I spoke to who said, ‘Why do care? You students are all loud and noisy and I want you out,’ ” McLeod said.
Now, he said he’s organizing students as one united front to combat the ruling.
“We have 30 days to get 15 per cent of owners of the units to request a meeting for this thing to actually be voted upon,” McLeod said, whose plan of action is consistent with the Ontario Condominium Act’s appeal mechanism.
McLeod said his movement needs owner involvement.
“The owners may amend or repeal a rule at a meeting of owners duly called for that purpose,” according to section 58.5 of the act.
If the appeal attempt fails, the rule will be effective starting Nov. 21, McLeod said.
Since the act falls within provincial jurisdiction, the City of Ottawa has no sway in the issue, according to city councillor Diane Deans’ office.
A representative from Deans’ office said “she will continue to work for the community association and residents to address this issue.”
McLeod said he’s urging students in the units to appeal to their landlords.
“Unless the landlords come together, there is nothing any of the students can do about it," he said. "We have no vote, no say whatsoever."
