Housing critics urge province to freeze rent increases during COVID-19
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Tara Hughes said landlords are adding insult to injury if they choose to impose rent hikes.
While the annual rent increase guidelines for 2020 are 2.2%, her landlord applied at the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board for a 4.8% increase per year, compounded, for three years because they renovated the balconies.
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The corporation was approved for 4.8% for the first two years and 3% for next year.
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“My rent just went up by $197 a month,” said the documentary producer. “The timing instituting the increases as if its biz as usual with all that is happening is unsettling. Sure, I can move to a lower rental bracket, but not right now given what is happening. And even were I to give two months notice right now, how easy is it to look at rentals?”
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing said it wants landlords “to be flexible and understanding during this time of economic uncertainty” with charging rent or increasing rent, but there are no repercussions if the landlord decides to go forward.
“It’s important to be clear that tenants must still pay rent as they normally would, to the best of their abilities,” said ministry spokesman Conrad Spezowka.
Greater Toronto Apartment Association president Daryl Chong said it agrees with the ministry’s suggestions — to pay your rent if you can.
“If you can’t, contact your landlord as soon as possible and see what kind of assistance or help they can provide,” he said. “All landlords are doing it on a case-by-case basis. There’s not a one-size-fits-all.”
A Facebook group, Keep Your Rent, is asking tenants to participate in a rent strike on April 1.
“You won’t have it for food or for medicine,” said the group. “It will go in their bank account and it will secure their investments… Sure, it’s against the rules. The rules say that when the calendar says the 1st, the landlord gets paid. Not this time. We’re keeping our rent.”
Meanwhile, the NDP critic for tenants’ rights is pushing the province for a temporary rent increase freeze.
“We’re also urging the province to implement an Ontario emergency income program that would be $2,000 right away in people’s pockets,” said MPP Suze Morrison.
“We know the federal support that’s coming is weeks away. Landlords would still have that income coming in so they can pay their mortgage. It’s the simplest and easiest way.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week officials are looking at ways to get money to Canadian renters.
In a CTV report, a government source said there is an “ongoing push with at least six provinces to sign up for a new rent supplement to avoid evictions for hundreds of thousands of renters.”
The city-funded Toronto Rent Bank program is also providing low-income households who are in imminent danger of losing their homes interest-free loans and flexible repayment plans during COVID-19.
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Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark has told tenants: “I want to be very clear — you cannot be forced to leave your home if you cannot pay your rent on April 1. Period.”
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