Burrill: Houston must extend rent control

HALIFAX - NDP Leader Gary Burrill is calling on Premier Tim Houston to make a clear commitment to extending rent control. Houston made comments during the campaign that he is against rent control, which were echoed by Housing Minister John Lohr late last week.

“People are incredibly worried about how much their rent will go up when the temporary rent controls are lifted. Already some people are receiving notices that their rent will go up by hundreds of dollars,” said Burrill. “There is a simple solution; continue with rent control to prevent massive rent hikes when the state of emergency is lifted.”

All parties committed to building more affordable housing during the most recent election, but expanding the supply of affordable housing will take years to accomplish.

“Today’s question is whether or not thousands of families will be able to afford their rent in a matter of weeks, not whether or not some developers will decide to build some new housing units some years in the future. The Conservatives need to act immediately to help families keep their homes,” said Burrill.