Ontario landowner law is the cause of the displacement of 47 low-income families in the Niagara Area. These families live in Green Oaks Mobile Home Park - adjacent to and owned by Marineland. Marineland is expanding its empire and thus wants to convert the park grounds into maintenance buildings within the next year. This means that the 47 families will be evicted in August 2010, as they do not own the land where their homes lay, rather they lease it from the landowner.
Ontario law allows landowners in this situation to terminate leases AT ANY TIME as long as they intend to convert the property to non-residential use. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, mobile home tenants are entitled to no more than 12 months notice and a one time payment of $3000 should the homeowner choose to relocate their buildings. A couple problems here: the majority of mobile homes were never designed to be moved. Furthermore, $3000 falls short of the amount it will cost (if possible) to move a mobile home; uprooting and transporting a mobile home can run excess of $10 000 - this cost is too prohibitive to consider as the families consist of many seniors and fixed income individuals.
Moreover, many of the families still carry mortgages on their homes, so not only are they losing their homes and the equity held within, but they are still responsible for the requisite debt. Ontario law does little to protect mobile home owners. A question to consider is if the landowner chooses to convert their property for non-residential use, shouldn't they be responsible to cover the costs of those displaced? Why does Ontario landowner law make it harder for citizens with little financial security to live and prosper?
Furthermore, how many more people have been affected by this law? This is a case that I found in the local newspaper - it was not even mentioned on TV, the Radio - that is appalling considering the severity of the issue! The residents of Green Oaks have appealed to both the municipal and provincial governments without success - if no one in government speaks up for these people, they will be homeless within the year.
Who really loves Marineland now?
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Wow, I can't believe this hasn't received a bit more media coverage. I think the general public would have a lot to say if they knew more about the issue. I can't imagine telling someone they have less than 12 months to relocated they're family with no real financial backing. If the families do still carry mortgages and have basically no payments in lieu of the changes this seems like a major rip off. I can't imagine how it would feel to be displaced like that...especially for a theme park. How ridiculous...
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