The City of Windsor is not moving forward with a city-wide residential rental licensing program.
It ran a pilot program for two years, which required landlords in Wards 1 and 2 to apply for a license and prove the unit met all legislated requirements. The pilot was paused in the spring of 2025.
A report from city staff determined that to apply this city-wide they'd need around 34 additional full-time staff and the annual licensing fee would be around $625 to recover the staffing costs.
"The pilot project was a hard fight, it was a hard fight, and it kind of breaks my heart to see it disappearing, not knowing that we're going to have effective tools t be able to address the concerns that we've had for years," said Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac.
To help improve safety in the city's rental stock, two bylaw enforcement officers will be dedicated to seeking compliance in problem areas of the city.
An education campaign will also be launched for tenants to recognize unsafe rental conditions and what to do about them.
