November 12, 2002, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Now that the Premier has seen the light about his disastrous deregulation policy on hydro, tenants would like him to see the same light about his disastrous anti-rent control policy.
Tenants have seen rents escalate in leaps and bounds since the Tories brought in their ill-titled Tenant Protection Act. Over 60,000 tenants a year have lost their homes because they could not pay the rent. And the market has failed to respond with new units.
Many tenants are on fixed incomes or low incomes. The situation gets worse every year.
Follow the Hydro blueprint, Mr. Eves. Freeze rents until 2006 and rebate tenants who have paid the ridiculous increases that your Government has permitted. For a prime example, over 100,000 rental households in Toronto have been forced to pay a permanent extra increase based on a temporary spike in fuel costs.
You could also direct your Tribunal to disallow all further claims based on utility cost increases. And by the way, make sure that tenants get your hydro rebates. We pay hydro in our rents.
Dan McIntyre
Program Co-Ordinator, FMTA