Bylaw May Raise Human Rights Issues City Tries to Solve Housing Issue Again
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VOLUME XXXIV, Issue 9 January , Bylaw may raise human rights issues City tries to solve housing issue again By Amy England Chronicle Staff Th e City of Oshawa now says it will take students’ concerns into consideration after the school administration and post-second- ary lobbying groups joined forces with the Student Association to fi ght a bylaw that could cause a major housing shortage for students next year. After listening to students’ concerns at a meeting on Jan. 14, the city scheduled an- other meeting for Jan. 21 at General Sikorski Hall. Th e outcome of that meeting will be re- ported in the next issue of the Chronicle. Th e Jan. 14 public meeting was held at Sikorski Hall to get reactions from residents, students and landlords to the bylaw. Th e second draft of the bylaw, which was released in late December, would require landlords to obtain licences before being able to rent. Landlords must meet certain health and safety codes and would be al- lowed a cap of only four bedrooms within those rental units. Adding to the restric- tions, landlords would no longer be allowed to have basement bedrooms. Th e bylaw is the fi rst of its kind in On- Photo by Amy England tario. It was introduced after the province gave cities more power to regulate rental A HEATED DEBATE: Student Association president Fraser McArthur addresses city council, voicing the housing. concerns of UOIT and DC students living in off-campus housing. Residents in the area have been upset over garbage, parking and noise violations that have increased since students moved schools. sion- making process. year. Th ey are worried that it might leave into their community. Also the values of “Students across the province will stand “Th is bylaw will not just aff ect Oshawa, more than 500 students without a place to their homes have decreased with the high in solidarity with UOIT, DC and Trent in but cities all over the province,” he said. live come the fall. volume of renters. Oshawa,” said Jen Hassum, chairperson of Simmonds also made reference to the ri- “Th e Developmental Services Committee Representatives from groups like the Ca- CFS. “Th is bylaw will potentially have rami- ots that have taken place in France, adding has seemed to hear the voices of students nadian Federation of Students (CFS) and fi cations for all other university towns in the that this bylaw will raise concerns over hu- this time,” said Fraser McArthur, president the University Student Council (UFC) from province.” man rights violations. of the SA. “We are hopeful that with further the University of Western Ontario attended David Simmons, vice-president of Uni- “We are trying to strike a balance with all consultation they will fi nally take our opin- the meeting and spoke against the bylaw. versity Aff airs at UFC, told the city it needs parties involved, including the students and ions into account.” CFS, a provincial and national lobbying to come up with a solution that would in- landlords,” said Mayor John Gray. Th e school administration issued a show group represents more than 300,000 col- clude the views of students, and that as it Th e SA is concerned about the impact of support for students, and Ron Bordessa, lege and university students from over 80 stands, students are excluded from the deci- this bylaw will have on student housing next president of UOIT, was at the meeting. Parking issues - round two Visual feast By Brandon Terry But the proxy cards weren’t ing to drive through the parking Chronicle Staff the only traffi c issues on day one gates behind other cars, the gates of second semester. New stu- come down on the sneaking car Students and faculty may re- dents all seemed to try to enter behind and break, or after pub member the fi rst day of school in through one entrance. night the gates are vandalized 2008, waking up early and racing “Some people forget we have and need to be repaired. to class, only to have their park- three entrances to the school, “I would hate to think students ing proxy cards not open the and they all try and pile into one, or faculty were so frustrated with parking gates. slowing things down,” Kinkaid parking issues that they decide “Th e fi rst day of school for explains. to plough through the gates,” said parking was simply chaotic,” said Also, since students may not Kinkaid. director of campus services Deb- have completely mapped out Kinkaid has had students bie Kinkaid. their means of travelling to school and faculty suggest changing the She explained the software, for the new semester, students wooden gates to steel so they used to recognize the proxy often drive their own vehicles for wouldn’t have to be replaced cards, which allows students ac- the fi rst few days or get friends constantly; the wood ones are cess to the paid parking spaces, or family to drop them off , which fl imsy and easily broken. was malfunctioning due to a removes parking spaces. “I don’t want to start using Photo by Chris Jones power surge. In the past few months steel arms on the gates because Kinkaid reports 11 broken gates they cost a lot more and the last Th e campuses have added STROLLING ALONG VENDOR ALLEY: Students new power surge protectors on that also contributed to park- thing we want is to start damag- ing traffi c. Since some motorists ing the vehicles on campus,” says browse the variety of posters available at Lorne’s the gates to ensure parking gates poster stand. work properly. are now tailgating and attempt- Kinkaid. 2 The Chronicle January, 22 2008 CAMPUS NEWS In Brief Attending this job fair is a healthy decision By Heather Abrey Chronicle Staff Students studying in the area of health care aren’t go- ing to want to miss the Inter- action Day Career Fair. Photo by Colin Boucher On Feb. 9 there will be a health career fair at the Hil- SWIPING THE CARD: High-speed debit machines make buying food quick and convenient as Beata Smytkie- ton Hotel in Toronto, located wicz discovered while grabbing a coffee at the library cafe. at 145 Richmond St. W. Th e fair will run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and focuses on reg- istered nurses, licensed prac- tical nurses, registered prac- tical nurses, physical thera- Cash-free food on campus pists, occupational therapists, techs, and pharmacists. By Colin Boucher groups and it was something that going to frustrate students more,” “Th e cashiers and the custom- Available at the fair will be Chronicle Staff was a high priority for students,” she said. ers are happy,” said Heather Ho- discounted magazines, books said McKay. Asked about the profi ts hol, administrative assistant to and uniforms, as well as free tote bags, refreshments, a gift Have no cash on hand when Th e installations took place Chartwells might see from a po- McKay. and a chance to win a $250 you need to buy your lunch? near the end of last semester and tential increase in sales, McKay No plans are in the making to shopping spree. Don’t want to pay those pesky over the holiday season. said the main reason the com- expand payment options to cred- Th ere will be free profes- service fees at the ATM? Well “It was funded by the institu- pany installed them was because it cards, but McKay wouldn’t rule sional resume assessments now you don’t have to, since tion,” said McKay, referring to the students were clamouring for it out in the future if it was some- and career development op- Chartwells, in collaboration with Equipment, wires, etc. She said them. thing students wanted. portunities, so bring your re- the IT department, has installed the school paid for it because it “We want to make students “We really are trying to make sume. high-speed debit machines at all was something that enhances happy. If a student doesn’t have our places as user-friendly as To register call its Oshawa campus locations. the institution overall. the cash, and they have a card, possible,” she said. 1-877-311-5333 or for more Elizabeth McKay, the Food However, Chartwells pays for then why shouldn’t they be able Marina Boland, who works in information visit www.inter- Service director for Chartwells each transaction (12-15 cents per to use it?” said McKay. the library café, has worked for actionday.com. on campus, said the idea to in- transaction). Th e 150 or so front-line Chartwells on campus for 12½ stall them was brought up by stu- “We wanted to be able to pro- Chartwells staff received train- years. dents and the SA in focus groups vide the debit service but do it ing on how to use the machines, “Within the fi rst week, we last summer. quickly…and the last thing we though many of them have used found that 20-25 per cent of stu- “We discussed it in the focus wanted to do is slow the service the slower-speed debit machines dents were using it,” she said. “It’s Company down. Making it slower is only in the past. way faster.” recruiters Th ere is still time to avoid the visiting Oshawa aches and pains of infl uenza campus By Alyshia Higgins need it.” Chronicle Staff “We did have some cases in the region last By Heather Abrey year, but we weren’t hard hit,” added Engelage.