Hamilton East End and Stoney Creek ACORN team up to demand rent control at MPP Neil Lumsden’s office

Hamilton ACORN conducted a letter drop at MPP Neil Lumsden’s office to demand rent control and repealing bill 60.

Led by Hojay Byfield, co-chair of the Stoney Creek chapter and Tim Marshall, co-chair of the East End chapter, members were able to directly hand the letter request to Lumsden’s office members. Testimonials by Kent Hopper of the Stoney Creek chapter, Tim Marshall, and Hojay Byfield were given on the importance of banning AGI’s. Arnim Hughes of the Stoney Creek chapter gave a testimonial on the negative impacts of bill 60.

Above Guideline increases are something many tenants know of too well. For years tenants have been demanding rent control and not only has the government not listened to them, they have actively worsened the situation for tenants regarding rent increases, specifically with Doug Ford’s bill 60. Bill 60 silences tenants who are in non – payment of rent cases, gives tenants less time to appeal unfair decisions, gives evicted tenants less compensation, cuts the tenant notice periods in half, increases “enforcement officers” to help evict tenants, restricts postponing evictions and makes it harder to challenge N11’s or “voluntary evictions” Bill 60 makes tenants more vulnerable to evictions and unfair treatment from their landlord.

ACORN’s Demands:

• Commit to never bringing in fixed-term leases
• Close existing rent control loopholes — end the rent control exemption for post-2018 buildings and ban Above Guideline Increases (AGIs)
• Strengthen rent control through vacancy control
• Withdraw the harmful eviction measures in Bill 60 that fast-track evictions and limit tenants’ ability to defend themselves at the LTB
• For a truly balanced approach, restore in-person LTB hearings and reduce tenant wait times (currently 2–3 times longer than landlord applications)

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario warns that, without urgent action, Ontario’s homeless population could soar to 300,000 in the next decade. Fast-tracking evictions and ending rent control won’t prevent that—it will guarantee it. 

We cannot solve the housing crisis by forcing more people onto the streets. We need the Ford government to stop putting the profits of landlords above the lives of tenants.