Dear Sirs and Mesdames,

 

On behalf of the Durand Neighbourhood Association in Hamilton, I am writing to you to urge you to support Bill 106, the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Act.  Crack houses, booze cans and other persistent, criminal, problem properties undermine a neighbourhood by generating public disorder, fear and insecurity.  Current solutions - enforcement measures based on current criminal, civil and by-laws are slow, expensive, cumbersome and not always successful.  Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods legislation has been proven to work very well in other provinces.  SCAN focuses on working with owners and landlords of problem properties to have the specified activities stop before any legal action is taken.

 

Bill 106 will not undermine tenants' rights - it will support vulnerable tenants who are, for example, living in terror of their drug-dealing neighbours.  Currently to obtain an eviction for illegal acts under the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord has to conduct their own investigation and bring eye-witness testimony to the Landlord and Tenant Board.  Tenants and neighbours are often understandably reluctant to testify against pimps and drug dealers because they feel truly threatened.  Landlords may not have the requisite skills and resources for such investigations.

 

SCAN will be a responsible and accountable piece of legislation. Since SCAN will be operationalized by municipal employees, it will be subject to the oversight of elected City Councils who will be able to evaluate its effectiveness.

 

Drugs and addictions are significant issues in Ontario communities.  SCAN is an additional "tool" that municipalities can use to deal with persistent problem properties in a toolbox that includes other enforcement measures, prevention, treatment and community services.

 

SCAN legislation will give our neighbourhoods the tools to create safe and healthy communities. We ask for your support of Bill 106.

 

Thank you for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

Sarah Matthews, President

Durand Neighbourhood Association