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Government Must Implement Rent Controls


For Immediate Release

October 10, 2024


NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) is calling on government to implement rent controls to deal with the increasing costs of rent and the hardship it causes.

 

This call comes following the release of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report Out-Of-Control Rents that highlights the need for proper rent controls, and how governments “could stop abusive rent increases,” but they choose not to. Dinn questions why government refuses to implement changes that can help alleviate some stress caused by the housing crisis.

 

“Rent control is something I have brought up to many Ministers, both in the House of Assembly and through written letters. When I raise the issue, I am consistently met with resistance, claiming that rent controls will not help address the housing crisis,” said Dinn. “It is clear that government’s intention is to stick to the status quo and continue to allow large landlords, like REITs, to make as much profit as they can by weaving through the red tape in the current legislation.”

 

In one response to Dinn’s calls for rent controls, the Minister at the time stated, “There continues to be no observable benefit to implementing rental rate control, coupled with the potential negative impacts such as reduced capital investment in rental housing and reduced supply of rental property, rent control measures are not currently being considered.” Dinn says that the CCPA research shows more benefits to when rent control is in place than negative impacts.

 

“When we talk about rent controls, we are talking about ensuring fairness and transparency within the private rental market. Only four provinces, including Newfoundland and Labrador, don’t have any rent controls in place,” said Dinn. “These measures are important to ensure that REITs and large landlords are not just squeezing the most amount of profit out of renters, adding more stress and strain to the cost of living crisis.

 

“This isn’t just about the renters. This is about those within the private housing sector, whether it be renters or landlords, having transparent rules to follow to ensure fairness.”

 

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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca  

 

You can read past letters on rent control sent to the Minister here:



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