QUEEN’S PARK — NDP Housing critic Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale) and the MPP for Parkdale—High Park, Bhutila Karpoche, are urging the Ford government to pass their bill to restore rent control for all units.
At a press conference held Thursday, Bell and Karpoche slammed the Ford government for canceling rent control on new units in 2018, allowing landlords to raise the rent unchecked on tenants.
“Ontario is in a housing crisis. Tenants are living in fear of renoviction from landlords looking to jack up the rent, and too many people are being forced to leave their communities because decent, affordable places are increasingly out of reach, said Bell. “If you’re a renter in Toronto today, your household must now make more than $108,000 a year to be able to afford the cost of an average two-bedroom apartment.”
Since 2018 when the Ford government took away rent control on new units, it has also moved to further slash tenant protections by allowing the province to override rental replacement bylaws. Ford’s latest scheme will make it easier for developers to toss tenants out and turn affordable, purpose-built rentals into luxury condos.
“We should be strengthening tenant protections, not making them even weaker,” said Karpoche. “We need to increase rental housing supply, but we also we need to protect tenants from predatory rent increases.
“By passing legislation to bring back rent control on all units, we can ensure tenants don’t get gouged or squeezed out of their unit by skyrocketing rents.”
The NDP will continue to fight for concrete housing solutions to address the housing crisis and ensure more homes, including public investments in non-market housing, enabling affordable and missing middle homes in existing neighbourhoods and ensuring renters’ protections are strengthened.
Quotes
Ben Scott, Toronto tenant facing am 11.6-per cent rent increase:
“My landlord GWLRA, a multi billion-dollar corporation, is increasing my rent by 11.6 per cent simply because they can. It is predatory, unchecked greed. This is pricing me, my son, and my neighbours out of our homes. Where are we supposed to go?”