Jagmeet Singh Proposes Ban on Renovictions to Make Rent Affordable

On August 1st, 2024, in London, Canada, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh unveiled a bold plan aimed at tackling the issue of rising rent prices across the country. His proposal? A ban on renovictions, practices that often leave tenants on the street when landlords claim they need to renovate properties.

Singh believes that no one should have to face the anxiety of being evicted just so a corporation can raise the rent for the next tenant. He pointed out that families are struggling to find decent apartments and that rents have skyrocketed recently.

“For families, it’s harder than ever to find a decent apartment, and harder still to afford it. Rent is through the roof,” Singh said. He stressed that the current system, designed by the Liberals and Conservatives, mainly benefits corporate landlords, leaving everyday Canadians to bear the brunt of the costs.

Since Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister, average rent prices have shot up by a staggering 100 percent. Singh’s visit to London is particularly significant as the city is among the top five in Ontario for renovictions, which have increased sharply over the past five years.

NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen echoed Singh’s concerns, stating that the traditional political parties have let people down. “Trudeau’s Liberals helped corporate landlords instead of the people,” she said. “And the Conservatives aren’t a solution either; they want no regulations for these landlords.”

“The truth is that we can get rent prices back under control,” Mathyssen continued. “One step in that direction is Singh’s commitment to outlaw renovictions, which often force people onto the street for the profit of a select few.”