COVID-19: Benefits and Resources
A collection of information, resources, news and campaigns around the COVID-19 pandemic.
News
Daily Hive: Toronto councillor calls for immediate rent relief action plan
With rent due on Wednesday, a Toronto City Councillor is calling for an immediate rent relief plan for small businesses and commercial landlords amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
CBC Ottawa: Tenants, landlords on edge as pandemic forces thousands out of work
April rent cheques due today, but COVID-19 restrictions causing uncertainty.
The Coast: Forty percent of Halifax households are supposed to pay rent tomorrow
Tenants are stressed about not being able to pay–landlords are stressed about getting paid. We're all stressed about all of it.
Hamilton Spectator: COVID-19: Hamilton tenants plead for help as April rent deadline looms
Many of Hamilton’s 60,000 household renters have lost jobs or income in the pandemic business shutdown.
BLOG: APRIL 1st - FOOD OR RENT?
Posted on March 31, 2020
By Marva Burnett, National President of ACORN Canada
April 1: Choose Food over Rent, Call on the Government for a Rent Break
Posted on March 30, 2020
Statement by Marva Burnett, the National President of ACORN Canada
CBC: Will they have to rely on the 'kindness' of landlords? Renters still waiting for B.C. relief plan
Metro Vancouver mayors, housing activists call for a ban on evictions amid COVID-19 pandemic
CTV News: Mortgage deferral program sparks calls for nationwide rent freeze amid outbreak
A day after six Canadian banks announced six-month deferrals on mortgage payments to ease economic hardships during the COVID-19 outbreak, relief for one segment of the population was notably absent: renters.
VICE: Renters Can’t Wait. Here’s Why Canada Needs a National Rent Freeze Now
Posted March 19, 2020
Insauga.com: Mississauga could start inspecting apartments following horrifying complaints from tenants
Tenants who fear retaliation when reporting issues with their units might be pleased to hear that the City of Mississauga is considering implementing a program that would allow it to proactively inspect apartment buildings on a regular basis.
Rabble.ca: Fighting for digital equity, in Canada and beyond
Equitable access to the internet is a communication right.
Radio-Canada: Le cri du cœur des locataires de logements insalubres
Les logements insalubres empoisonnent la vie des locataires qui sont forcés d'y vivre.
CTV News: First of the month: Tenants scramble to pay rent during COVID-19 pandemic
It’s the first of the month and renters who have lost income due to the intensifying COVID-19 pandemic are scrambling to make rent as provincial governments offer piecemeal solutions during the ongoing crisis.
NewsTalk1010: What happens if you didn't pay rent on April 1?
As governments ask landlords to be lenient on rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say the deferring payments will only delay the problem.
CHCH: Rent payment worries
It’s the first of the month, which means some tenants are scrambling to pay rent.
Global News: ‘Communication’ key for Hamiltonians who can’t pay rent during COVID-19 pandemic
The city of Hamilton is taking on the role of a third-party intermediary between renters and landlords expected to feel the financial sting of the COVID-19 pandemic in the next month
Hamilton News: Hamilton tenants worry about April 1 rent payments due to coronavirus
Landlords may grant brief extension, says landlord association president, but don't expect a three-month reprieve
Huffington Post: Tenants Want Rent Freeze From Landlords As April 1 Looms
Over 700,000 people have signed a petition calling for rent payments to be cancelled during the COVID-19 crisis.
CBC Toronto: April 1 is rent day. Here's what you need to know if COVID-19 has you worried about paying
Province has halted evictions, landlords given a 6-month deferral on mortgages
Toronto Star: Some landlords are forgiving rent payments as April 1 deadline looms for Toronto’s restaurants and bars
After two weeks of pleas from residential tenants and small businesses worried about paying their rent on April 1, some landlords have agreed to extend some help.
Federal and Provincial Support for People during COVID-19
Pour des informations en francais, veuillez cliquer ici
Para obtener información en español, haga clic aquí.
The Guardian: With April 1 looming, Nova Scotia tenants and landlords face uncertainty while homeowners see relief
Nova Scotia tenants and landlords alike are uncertain about how rent will be paid, and feeling like the government isn’t doing enough as April 1 fast approaches.
CBC: 'Internet is the only lifeline they have': Canada needs to confront 'digital divide' amid COVID-19 crisis Social Sharing
'When we're saying this is a basic service, we need to prioritize it,’ advocate says
Globe & Mail: Residential tenants anxious about what comes next after eviction bans end
Two of the provinces hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic have banned residential tenant evictions until the crisis ends, but with no promises about what will come afterward, tenants, landlords and activists face bureaucratic chaos, gridlock and potential mass evictions.