NDP tells Wynne Liberal government to keep 14-year-old Liberal promise and protect vulnerable Toronto tenants

Today in the legislature, NDP MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth) again asked the Wynne Liberal government to protect vulnerable tenants by closing a loophole that subjects them to unfair rent hikes. 

“Yesterday we learned that tenants in Liberty Village have been told by their landlord that they could either pay double their current rent, or move out by July 1,” said Tabuns. “After receiving this outrageous rent increase notice, one tenant said: ‘I didn’t even know that was legally possible.’”

Tabuns said it is legally possible because of a loophole in the Residential Tenancies Act that allows landlords of rentals built after 1991 to raise the rent to whatever they want. Tabuns and Andrea Horwath's NDP has tabled a bill in the legislature which would close that loophole, and provide protection from unreasonable rent hikes for all renters.

Despite once calling the loophole “a betrayal of tenants,' the Liberal government has refused for years to close it.

“Will the Premier do the right thing, and close this loophole, as the NDP has proposed?” asked Tabuns. 

Following questions, the Minister of Housing told media that while he “can relate” to the plight of tenants’ facing unfair rent hikes, he would offer no tangible solutions for vulnerable tenants immediately.