As Brampton, Ont., seeks to crack down on illegal rentals, records show local councilor co-owns non-compliant property

As Brampton city officials work to address the problem of unsafe and illegal housing, CBC Toronto has learned that a local councilor co-owns the property with an unregistered basement apartment in violation of municipal bylaws.

Earl Gurpartap Singh Toor, who is a member of Brampton City Council and Peel Regional Council, denies owning a home on Gardenbrook Trail, in the city’s northeast. But property records show he has owned the property since 2021, and information obtained through a Freedom of Information request shows the basement has been illegally rented out all that time.

According to the documents, Thora’s sister has owned the property since 2012, and in 2021 transferred a one percent stake to him, making him a co-owner. It’s one of at least four properties Tour owns — property records show he also owns three homes in Caledon, Ont.

City officials first inspected the Brampton property and issued a notice of compliance in September along with a $750 fine, saying the unregistered apartments could pose a safety hazard to residents.

The inspection took place following a complaint filed by Azad Goyat. Goyat is the founder of the not-for-profit Brampton Housing Providers Association representing landlordsfounded in response to a pilot project aimed at combating illegal construction. He also ran for regional council in the same districts as Tor in the last municipal elections.

He says that the neighbors noticed that two families live in the house, but the city does not have a second apartment registered.

“Coun. Tur represents the people. He’s a lawmaker at City Hall. How dare (he) … have illegal housing?” Goyat said.

Illegal rentals have been a major problem for Brampton council, with the mayor previously calling unregistered rentals “fire traps.” Brampton saw nearly 100 house fires last year and five deaths, CBC Toronto reported earlier this month.

Since 2022, Tur held the position of regional councilor of districts 9 and 10.

Toor denies ownership, contradicts ownership records

When CBC Toronto spoke with Tur outside council chambers last week, he denied ownership and threatened a formal letter.

“I do not own this property. Anyone who wants to follow my family, I follow them,” he said.

In a follow-up email, Thor said his sister owned the property and that he previously owned one percent “for a short period of time for personal reasons.” He said that he did not receive any income from the house.

In an email, he accused “city hall insiders (of) grasping at straws and leaking personal and private information” in a “malicious” attempt to damage his reputation.

Having a small share of the property does not in any way reduce liability, even if the owner did not receive any income from the property, says Toronto real estate lawyer Bob Aaron.

“As far as compliance with the bylaw, the fire code … every party, every owner — 99 (percent) or one (percent) — every owner is responsible for 100 percent compliance with the bylaw,” Aaron said.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told the CBC in an Oct. 24 email that Tour told him “he no longer has any ownership interest in this property.” Brown said he expects all council members to follow all city ordinances.

A title search for the same day still listed Thor as co-owner.

A complaint causes an inspection, a fine is issued

Any property in Brampton with an accessory unit must be registered with the city and must be approved and inspected.

City documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request show the city received a complaint about the unit in late July.

According to records, an officer visited the home on Sept. 19 and spoke with the basement tenants, who confirmed they had been renting the two-bedroom apartment for four years and that another family lived in a separate apartment upstairs.

That day, the enforcement officer issued a penalty notice along with a $750 fine and required the owner to apply for a permit within 30 days. The name of the notification recipient has been deleted.

The officer also took pictures of the interior and exterior of the house. He noted that the basement window had been done without permission and the large window appeared to have been converted into a double entry.

The notice, sent the following week, said city policy “is intended to make premises safe, legal and livable,” and that a building that doesn’t meet those requirements may lack the necessary safety features and “may put residents and the neighborhood at risk.” at risk of serious damage, injury, or death.”

In an Oct. 16 email, the officer said he would contact the owner Oct. 21, after which further action could be taken if the violation remains unresolved, including a possible fine of up to $25,000.

On Oct. 22, Kennisha Petgrave of Brampton Public Affairs told CBC in an email that “staff have been speaking with property owners who have taken proactive steps to bring their properties into compliance,” adding that the new “estimated date” for compliance is 29 October

Housing is a key issue for the city

Illegal housing is a major problem in Brampton, which the city council is trying to address with a focus on international students.

According to a Statistics Canada report from May of this year, in 2021 Brampton had the highest rate of international students living in inadequate housing of any Canadian city.

The city recently took steps to address the problem, including a pilot program aimed at smaller landlords that requires annual license renewals. The program has already resulted in thousands of inspections and more than 600 fine notices, the city said last month.

Municipal Solicitor John Mascarin said failure to comply with the city’s bylaws not only sets a bad example for voters, but also risks undermining public trust.

“There is a loss of trust in local administration and all, all local government.”