ACORN’s Response to the PM’s Housing Announcement

Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights needs to lead to legislative changes

Toronto, ON. ACORN supports the federal government’s announcement to create a new Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights but as always the devil lies in the details. Renters coast to coast are facing skyrocketing rents and corporate landlords are using predatory tactics to displace tenants using massive and in some cases unregulated rent increases, renovictions, demovictions, rent increases above rent controls and more. This is leading to displacement of tenants as well as loss of existing affordable housing.

It is critical that the Renter’s Bill of Rights is consistent with the government’s commitment to the Right to Housing. It also needs to go beyond important commitments to funding legal aid clinics and tenant organizing and make changes to the rules and regulations that are biassed toward landlords maximizing profits.

Tenants want real changes and to effect real changes in tenants’ lives, the Bill of Rights must include:

• Full rent control;
• Ban on unaffordable rent increases;
• Anti-displacement covenants; and
• Ban on fixed term leases

We support a national lease structure that gives tenants security of tenure and limits rent increases.

Currently, many big corporate landlords are getting tax breaks and low-cost financing from federal agencies. These incentives must be tied to legal requirements to building and protecting affordable housing, including full rent control.

ACORN will continue to push changes in federal and provincial laws that stop landlords from gouging and displacing tenants and for eviction prevention coast to coast.