Residential Tenancies Act works to protect renters
Prior to 2006, tenants in Ontario were subject to law from the 1990s that put too much power in the hands of landlords. It was a law that previous governments had failed to improve, and the result was that families were at times evicted from their apartments with few protections.
That is why, in 2006, the McGuinty government introduced the Residential Tenancies Act, which provided more equality and protections to the landlord-tenant relationship, so that in case of a dispute, the rights of both sides would be respected.
We did this because our government believes in protecting tenants in Ontario. We understand that affordable housing is important to low and middle-income families, and that it allows them to thrive in their communities.
This is also why as member of provincial parliament for St. Paul’s, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that the tenants of St. Paul’s can benefit from the rights granted to them under the Residential Tenancies Act.
Under the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord can only increase the rent by the cost of living; the 2010 guideline is 2.1 percent. Next year that number will only be 0.7 percent. However, under certain circumstances, a landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an extra rent increase.
Until recently, landlords could theoretically apply for such a rent increase based on the Harmonized Sales Tax being added to utility costs. But our government has recognized the need to maintain Ontario’s balanced approach to landlord-tenant relations.
That is why we have implemented a change to the Residential Tenancies Act that will prevent landlords from passing the HST on utilities through to tenants. During the St. Paul’s by-election in Fall 2009, I wrote to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing about the issue and received written commitment from the minister that renters would be protected from any such increases. When I was elected to Queen’s Park, my first question in the Legislature was on that very subject. This change will ensure that tenants do not suffer an increase in rents due to HST costs.
Our aim is to protect tenants, while still ensuring a fair balance in the landlord-tenant relationship. This amendment will do just that.
Tenants’ concerns are important to me and have driven much of my work as the member of provincial parliament for St. Paul’s. As your MPP, I will continue to fight for the rights of tenants and for the issues that matter to all of St. Paul’s residents.
For more information on the rules for rent increases, contact my constituency office at 416-656-0943 and remember to ask for my free Tenant’s Guide, newly updated for 2010.
Eric Hoskins is the MPP for St. Paul’s and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
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