Rent Regulation

Why rent control?

We believe the provincial government should re-introduce rent control. The average rents in Ontario increased 28% from 1995 to 2005, outpacing the 23% change in Ontario's Consumer Price Index (CPI). While the vacancy rate is up in many Ontario communities, there is still a shortage of affordable housing across the province.

According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) 2005 rental market survey, one bedroom rents increased in every Ontario Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), except Ottawa where rents decreased by $8 and Windsor, rent unchanged at $650. The two bedroom rents increased in every Ontario CMA, except Toronto, where rents were unchanged at $1,052 and Ottawa, were rents decreased by $20 to $920.

Housing is a basic necessity, yet 42% of Ontario tenant households pay 30% or more of their household income on shelter costs. 20% of tenant households pay 50% and over of their household income on shelter costs. There are at least 124,785 low income households on active waiting lists for social housing across the province.