Dinn Focused on Lowering Costs as he Announces Rent Control Proposal
- NL NDP
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
For Release
August 27, 2025
As Newfoundland and Labrador sees the highest rent hikes in Canada, NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn stood with provincial renters and made the first campaign promise of the upcoming provincial election, pledging to stop skyrocketing rental hikes by continuing to insist on rent controls in the province
Dinn pointed to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which shows that Newfoundland and Labrador saw the highest rent increases in the country over the last year—rising an average of 7.8%, well above the national average.
“People in this province are being squeezed harder than anywhere else in Canada,” said Dinn. “Renters are being hit by profit-driven landlords with year-over-year increases they simply can’t afford – and it’s only getting worse. Meanwhile, both the Liberals and Conservatives outright refuse to take any meaningful action.”
Dinn spoke to the media with Dale Baggs, a tenant of Northview, one of the country’s largest corporate landlords with properties across nine provinces and territories. Over the past two years, Baggs has seen rent increases of 14%—a cost burden that has made it increasingly difficult to stay in his home.
“It's not just out of hand, it's discouraging, it's making people desperate,” said Baggs. “And people when they're desperate because they have no food or are on the street, do desperate things.”
While Newfoundland and Labrador renters face unchecked increases, other provinces and territories have implemented forms of rent control to protect tenants. These include British Columbia (3%), Manitoba (1.1%), Ontario (2.5%), New Brunswick (3%), Nova Scotia (5%), Prince Edward Island (2.3%), and Yukon (2–5%).
Dinn proposes examining the experiences of other provinces and tailor-making a solution that will work for renters in Newfoundland and Labrador. He emphasized that housing costs are only one part of a growing affordability crisis facing families across the province.
With the provincial election weeks away, Dinn made it clear that the NDP will put affordability at the heart of its campaign and will continue to bring forward solutions that will lower costs for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
“This province is at a crossroads. We can either keep the status quo under both the Liberals or Conservatives, or we can choose to take real action to lower costs for hard-working people and get a better deal for Newfoundland and Labrador. The NL NDP is ready to deliver on that brighter future.”
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For more information, please contact communications@nlndp.ca
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