Finding a decent and affordable place to live in Canada is becoming harder than ever. A new survey from Rentals.ca shows that 62% of renters are struggling to find apartments within their budget, and more than half say the process is very difficult. Only 27% are happy with the listings they’ve seen, and most agree that more rental housing needs to be built. In big cities like Toronto, the average rent for a one-bedroom has jumped to $2,372. In Halifax, it’s $2,033, the survey revealed. These prices are forcing many people especially students and low-income families into tough situations.
The NDP leader Jagmeet Singh proposed a new plan regarding this. He is promising to bring in national rent control and stop corporate landlords from raising rents unfairly. “People are talking about how much their rent is costing them, how it takes up sometimes more than half of their income,” he said in Halifax. “And that is wrong. People should be able to have a good place, a decent place that allows them enough money left over for them to save up, for them to pay the bills, for them to build for the future.”
The NDP plan includes capping rent increases, banning renovictions and short leases meant to push people out, and giving renters more rights through a new Renter’s Bill of Rights. Federal housing money would only go to cities and provinces that agree to real rent control and stronger protections for tenants.
For many renters, these changes can’t come soon enough. Habiba Khan, a 21-year-old international student in Toronto, pays $600 just for a bed in a room she shares with two other girls. “It’s so packed, and there’s no privacy,” she said. “We don’t even have space to move around. But we have no choice.”
Another student, Sarah Smith, lives in a one-bedroom apartment near her school and pays $2,000 per month. “Almost all my income goes into rent,” she said. “Every month I stress about how to make ends meet.”
Some small landlords feel they’re being unfairly grouped in with big corporations. Mohammad Hannan, who owns a house in Scarborough, says he only raises the rent when his own costs go up. “I’m not trying to take advantage of anyone,” he said. “I just want to cover the bills and I have to pay mortgage and everything so I am trying to keep things running.”
As Canada heads toward a federal election, housing remains a key concern for millions of renters. With different parties proposing their own solutions, the coming months will be important in shaping the future of rental policies. Many will be watching closely to see what real changes, if any, will be made to ease the pressure on renters across the country.
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