Mississauga improves protections for renters facing redevelopment

Mississauga is taking another step to improve affordable rental housing and support the tenants who rely on it. City Council has approved amendments to the Rental Housing Protection By-law. The by-law helps preserve the City’s stock of affordable rental housing when redevelopment occurs.

The by-law, first enacted in 2019, was updated to better support tenants during the redevelopment process. It applies to approximately 360 rental buildings in Mississauga with six or more units.

Redevelopment expected to rise

More than 85 per cent of Mississauga’s rental buildings (with six or more units) were built before 1990. While these apartments typically offer more affordable rents, the age of the buildings can make them more likely to undergo redevelopment. Regulating this activity allows the City to balance tenant protection with the need to increase overall housing supply.

The approved amendments introduce stronger supports for eligible tenants living in affordable units affected by rental housing redevelopment. The protections include:

• Compensation to cover the difference between tenants’ current rent and market rent during construction, if needed.
• Moving cost assistance ranging from $1,000 to $1,500 per move.
• Help finding temporary housing, with developers required to provide support services.

Tenants will also continue to have the right to return to replacement units at similar rents, with increases limited to provincial rent guidelines.

Keeping replacement units affordable

To better reflect today’s housing market, the by-law updates also address affordability requirements. The updated by-law:

• Continues to require that replacement units remain affordable at similar rents for at least 10 years – and that they remain rental units for at least 20 years.
• Lowers the threshold for protected units from 175 per cent average market rent ($3,500 for a 2-bedroom unit in 2025) to 125 per cent of vacant unit average market rent ($3,100 for a 2 bedroom unit in 2025). This means the rules apply to more moderately priced units.
• Introduces income-based tenant matching – this means that if the original eligible tenants don’t move back to a replacement unit, the vacant retained units will be offered to people whose incomes meet the affordability threshold for the similar affordable rents. This approach ties affordability protections directly to the physical unit and ensures that tenants who need affordable rents have access to affordable units.

In addition, under the updated by-law, replacement units must also be comparable in size to the original unit.

Other ways the City is supporting tenants

The by-law updates approved today are part of the City’s broader efforts to support tenants and make it more affordable to rent in Mississauga.

Protecting tenants from ‘renovictions’

Council approved the new Rental Repairs and Renovations Licensing By-law to protect Mississauga tenants from unlawful renovation-related evictions.

The by-law, which takes effect September 1, 2026, increases protections for tenants who face eviction when their landlord requires them to move out for extensive renovations or repairs. It requires landlords to obtain a license, clearly inform tenants of their rights and provide financial supports for tenants.

Building more affordable rental housing

In April, Council also approved an increase in funding for the Affordable Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) from $44 million to $70 million. The CIP offers grants for developers who want to build rental buildings with affordable units.

The CIP is designed to quickly increase the supply of rental housing, including affordable and below-market units. The program provides financial incentives for private and non-profit developers, including grants and the waiving of certain fees. This helps offset the costs of shovel-ready rental projects with affordable units.

Council also approved an additional $1 million to the CIP to help continue funding gentle density rebates for people building second, third and fourth units in neighbourhoods.

Quote

“As Mississauga grows, we need to build more rental housing while making sure tenants are supported every step of the way. Our updated Rental Housing Protection By-law strikes that balance by supporting redevelopment, strengthening tenant protections and preserving affordability so residents aren’t left behind as our City moves forward.”  – Andrew Whittemore, Commissioner, Planning and Building

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• Housing
• Planning and Building