We Can Solve the Housing Crisis

An Ontario NDP government will:

• Restore vacancy rent control to stop the bad incentive for landlords to squeeze out long-term tenants and raise the rent

• Stop unfair ‘renovictions’ and bad faith ‘landlord’s own use’ evictions.

• Fix the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) — the Ford government has deliberately delayed filling vacancies in the LTB. This has caused a massive administrative backlog, with hearings often delayed by months. An NDP government will hire enough competent and impartial adjudicators, and stop the delays that prevent Ontario renters from getting justice 

• Establish a Cooling Strategy for seniors and other vulnerable tenants — when temperatures are rising, some landlords who operate rentals for seniors and other vulnerable folks can choose to scrimp on providing air conditioning, putting tenants at risk of heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses. Our Cooling Strategy will ensure that seniors and other vulnerable tenants can stay cool, safe and healthy during the summer.

• Mandate Universal Design building codes — which are standards that that reflect the needs of people of all ages, sizes, abilities and disabilities.

• Provide direct financial support to first-time home buyers by helping first-time home buyers finance their down payment with a shared equity loan of up to 10 per cent of a home’s value.

• Guarantee elevator availability — Liberal and Conservative governments have failed to create standards for elevator accessibility in Ontario, meaning landlords can delay the repair of an elevator for weeks or months to save money. An Ontario NDP government will set elevator availability standards so that residents never have to worry they’ll be stranded due to a broken elevator.