On rent prices, Liberals defend status quo, Ford says different things to different audiences

Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals are defending the pricey rental market they allowed to spin out of control – while Doug Ford is talking about rent control by, once again, saying different things to different audiences.

In March, Ford said he opposes keeping any rent control in place.

“I don’t like it. I like having the market dictate,” said Ford.

Doug Ford, Globe and Mail, March 13 2018, 3:53: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-doug-ford-open-to-privatizing-liquor-sales-and-dropping-foreign-buyers/ )

On Tuesday, he said the opposite.

For fifteen years, the Liberals and Kathleen Wynne created a bad situation when it comes to Ontario families finding safe, affordable places to live. Even when Kathleen Wynne had the chance to help, she sided with big developers – voting against NDP proposals to protect tenants from unreasonable above-guideline increases and renoviction loopholes that could be used to push out tenants and increase already unaffordable rents.

Andrea Horwath and the NDP have a plan that gives renters hope. In addition to building 65,000 new affordable housing units over 10 years, the NDP will make rentals more affordable by introducing legislation to provide:

• Effective, reasonable and predictable rent controls that limit the use of above-guideline increases to “renovict” people from their homes
• A rent registry, so tenants can know how much a landlord has charged in the past
• Protection for renters who pay their rent and abide by their agreements
• Updated rules that recognize changing rental markets
• Guarantees that rents will remain affordable in the long term, while spurring investment in new, purpose-built rental buildings