FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, ON – November 22, 2023 – On National Housing Day, the Canadian Centre for
Housing Rights launched the Secure Homes for Renters Campaign to urge all provincial and
territorial governments to implement strong rent regulations so that renters have fair rents and
basic protections to live securely in their homes.
Rent regulations should be a basic protection afforded to every renter, but the current
regulations that are in place vary widely across the country, and none of them adequately
protect renters from excessive rent increases. For example, in half of the country – Alberta, New
Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Nunavut, and Northwest
Territories – landlords do not need a reason to raise rents, and rents can be raised by any
amount, even if the landlords’ costs have not increased. In other provinces – like Ontario, British
Columbia, and Quebec – varying rules exist for calculating allowable rent increases, but the
formulae used are broken and allow excessive, unreasonable increases. In some provinces,
landlords are also incentivized to evict renters because the rules make it easier to raise rents for
new renters.
In the absence of strong laws that regulate rent, landlords are free to charge rents far higher
than what is necessary to cover their expenses and make a reasonable profit. This is known as
rent gouging, and it’s causing rents to climb excessively. As a result, the cost of rental housing
has increased rapidly over the past decade, and right now, half of renters are worried about
being able to pay their rent. Recent polls show that increasing rental costs and the lack of
affordable rental housing is a serious concern for 95% of Canadians.
“Today the reality that tenants face is worse than last year. Affordability challenges are growing
with the continued lack of affordable housing, the rise in the cost of other consumer goods like
food, and the impacts of inflation on households’ ability to keep a roof over their heads. People
cannot afford to keep up.” said Annie Hodgins, CCHR’s Executive Director. “It’s time for our
governments to re-engage with the role they once played supporting a healthy housing system
that protects renters.”
Renter households as a group are more vulnerable to housing insecurity than homeowners.
Rent regulation is a quick and cost-effective way that provincial and territorial governments can
protect housing affordability and security for renters across Canada.
CCHR is encouraging people across Canada to send a letter to their Premier and minister
responsible for housing, asking that they immediately implement strong rent regulation
measures to help protect renters’ homes and curb rising unaffordability.
“All renters in Canada have the right to fair rents. It shouldn’t matter which province or territory
they live in, but right now, it does.” said Hodgins. “This must change. Implementing strong rent
regulations in every province and territory is a critical way we can keep more people housed in
this very challenging economic climate and ensure that all renters have basic protections in their
homes.”
Media contact:
Shelley Buckingham
Director of Communications, Canadian Centre for Housing Rights
Email: media [at] housingrightscanada.com