NSNDP statement on lack of protections for renters

HALIFAX – NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender made the following statement in response to legislative changes to the rent cap and Residential Tenancies Act:

“This is a sad day for the 30 per cent of Nova Scotians who rent in this province. By extending this failed rent cap without closing the fixed-term lease loophole, rejecting a much-needed tenancies enforcement unit and making evictions easier, more Nova Scotians will become housing insecure in the face of the housing crisis that we’re already in.

This government keeps talking about striking a balance between the needs of landlords and renters, but under the current system, large landlords will get more protections while renters continue to struggle. This is why we in the NDP have continuously put forward a sensible solution over the past several years, where rent increases are tied to CPI, where landlords and tenants can apply to Residential Tenancies in a functional way, and where we have an enforcement unit to ensure we actually have a balanced system.

The Houston government has shown us again and again that they will not protect renters from unsustainable rent hikes and unfair evictions. We need real rent control now, or we will see more people evicted into homelessness as we head toward the coldest season of the year.”

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