As the City of Brampton works to combat unsafe and illegal housing, CBC Toronto has learned that a local councilor co-owns a property with an unregistered basement apartment, violating city bylaws.

Advice. Gurpartap Singh Toor, who sits on Brampton City Council and Peel Regional Council, denies owning the house on Gardenbrooke Trail, northeast of the city. But property records show it has been on title since 2021, and information obtained through a Freedom of Information request reveals the basement has been rented illegally all that time.

Toor’s sister has owned the property since 2012, records show, and transferred a 1% share to him in 2021, making him a co-owner. It’s one of at least four properties Toor owns – property records show he also owns three homes in Caledon, Ontario.

The city first inspected the Brampton property and issued a notice of compliance in September, along with a $750 fine, noting that unregistered apartments could pose safety risks to occupants.

The inspection followed a complaint filed by Azad Goyat. Goyat is the founder of the Brampton Housing Providers Association, a non-profit organization represent the ownersfounded in response to a pilot project to combat illegal housing. He also ran for regional council in the same wards as Toor in the last municipal elections.

He says neighbors noticed two families living in the house, but no secondary unit was registered with the city.

“Councillor Toor represents the people. He is the legislator at City Hall. How (can he) dare… have illegal housing?” said Goyat.

Illegal rentals are a major concern for Brampton City Council, with the mayor previously calling unregistered rentals “fire traps.” Last year, Brampton experienced nearly 100 house fires and five deaths, the city told CBC Toronto earlier this month.

Toor has been a regional councilor for Wards 9 and 10 since 2022.

Toor denies ownership, contradicting property records

When CBC Toronto spoke to Toor outside council chambers last week, he denied ownership and threatened to send her a legal letter.

“I don’t own this property. Anyone who goes after my family, I’ll go after them,” he said.

Responding to follow-up questions via email, Toor said his sister owned the property and that he had previously been a 1 percent owner “for a short time for personal reasons.” He said he did not receive any income from the house.

In the email, he accuses “City Hall insiders of grasping at straws and disclosing personal and private information” in a “malicious” attempt to damage his reputation.

Having a small share of ownership doesn’t reduce liability, even if the owner received no income from the property, says Toronto real estate lawyer Bob Aaron.

“As far as compliance with the regulations, compliance with the fire code… every party, every owner – whether it’s 99 (percent) or one (percent) – every owner is responsible for 100 percent compliance regulations,” Aaron said.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told CBC in an Oct. 24 email that Toor informed him “that he no longer has any interest in this property.” Brown said he expects all councilors to follow all city bylaws.

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

The complaint results in an inspection and a fine is issued

Any property in Brampton with an additional 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 in late July about the unit.

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

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

The officer also took photos of the interior and exterior of the house. He noted that a basement window had been built without a permit and that a large window appeared to have been converted into a double-door entryway.

A notice sent the following week said the city’s policies “are intended to make housing safe, legal and habitable,” and that a building that does not comply could lack required safety features and “could expose the occupants and neighborhoods at serious risk. damage, injury or death.

In an email sent on October 16, the officer said he would follow up with the owner on October 21, at which time further action could be taken if the violation remains outstanding, including a possible fine. go up to $25,000.

On Oct. 22, Kennisha Petgrave of Brampton’s public relations department said in an email to CBC that “staff have been communicating with property owners, who have taken active steps to bring their properties into compliance,” adding that the news “reference date” to comply with is October 29.

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Housing, a major issue for the city

Illegal apartments are a major problem in Brampton that city council is trying to address, with a focus on international students.

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

The city has recently taken steps to address this problem, including a pilot program for small property owners requiring annual permit renewals. The program has already resulted in thousands of inspections and more than 600 penalty notices, the city said last month.

City Attorney John Mascarin said failure to comply with city bylaws not only sets a bad example for voters, but also risks eroding public trust.

“There is a loss of confidence in local administration and local government as a whole.”