Sudbury educating international students about off-campus housing rights - Action News
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Sudbury

Sudbury educating international students about off-campus housing rights

With so many international students choosing Sudbury to attend post secondary school, the northern Ontario city wants to make sure those living off campus know their tenant rights. Last year, 20 rooming houses were inspected and the landlords were required to make necessary changes.

Neighbours want city to be proactive with problematic rooming houses, absentee landlords

Two college students wearing backpacks.
Prabhjeet Kaur is a new student at Cambrian College. She is sharing a basement room off campus with her friend Navneet Kaur, who is also new to Cambrian. Both just recently arrived in Canada from India. (Angela Gemmill/CBC)

Prabhjeet Kaur, who's from Amritsar, India, is sharing a basement room with her friend in Greater Sudbury, Ont.

Both are new international students at Cambrian College. They arrived in Canada a week ago.

The twofound the rental space on Kijijiand took it before seeing it in-person. They share a kitchen and bathroom with three other female students.

"We chose that because [the space] is shared and we are students. It's difficult for us to give [pay]the rent," Kaur said, adding that so far, things are going well.

The two roommates were at a community services fair at Cambrian where community partners were invited to speak to new students starting school this month.

A woman holds a leaflet about what students should know if renting a room off-campus.
A representative from Greater Sudbury's building services holds up a leaflet for new students that was provided at a community services fair at Cambrian College. (Angela Gemmill/CBC)

One of the booths included representatives from Greater Sudbury's bylaw and building services.The citywanted to make sure students who are living off campus know what landlords should be providing in their rental units.

In 2022 Greater Sudbury inspected 20 rooming houses. Landlords were all required to make necessary changes.

"When we're in these properties, we're making sure that any work has been done with permits," said Stefany Mussen, manager of corporate security and bylaw services.

"That there's enough exits in the unit, the electrical is safe, sufficient smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Really the goal is just to make sure there's safe housing options for people in the city," she added.

"We will work with the property owner to work towards compliance.

"We would identify any deficiencies that might be present and give them timelines to rectify those situations."

Residents who are concerned about a neighbouring property can check the city's website to find out if a property owner has legally obtained the proper permits to build a secondary unit.

Frustration for neighbours

Meanwhile, Sudbury residents like Maria Bozzo are frustrated with the number of problems cropping up withrooming houses across the city.

Bozzolives in New Sudbury not far from Cambrian. Shesaid a house on her street was sold a few years ago and bought by a landlord who didn't live in the city.

"All of a sudden there were people coming in and out of that house at all hours," she said.

"It was very disconcerting - the cars in the driveway, the garbage not picked up."

Bozzo wants the city to take a more proactive approach to problems at rooming houses.

"I mean, everything is complaint driven. To a certain extent, some of these things should be noticed as bylaw is driving by in the neighbourhood."

A room under construction.
Construction taking place in a finished part of a house in New Sudbury. The student who took this picture suspected the owner did not have proper permits to add the extra bedroom. (Submitted by Sujith Ashok)

Aime Dimatteo, whoalso lives in New Sudbury, said that quite often, several vehicles are parked on neighbouring lawns where there are known rooming houses. The grass normally isn't mowed, nor the garbage picked up.

Dimatteo has called in a complaintinto the city about theviolations in property standardsand bylaws.

"As I've said to my [city] councillor, I don't work for the city. I'm not the police. We've complained one time."

He wants consistent followup by the city's various departments inspecting and investigating these shared accommodations.

"All the city keeps saying to me is call back in or send us an email of complaint again and again and again," Dimatteo said.

"We all said, 'It's not our job.'We'll do it the first time, but ultimately city: you've got to be more proactive and ensure that the issues are being handled," he added.

Both Bozzo and Dimatteo admit not all landlords in Sudbury neglect their properties or take advantage of international students.

But Bozzois glad the city is providing tenant education about property and housing standards like what was happening at Cambrian's community services fair.

"Because people living in those conditions should be speaking up too."