As is well known to governments and parties of all stripes, Ontario is facing an affordable housing crisis that has been evolving for decades. Every week, my office gets calls from people on escalating rents and many people forced to leave their rental property so the landlord can sell it or boost the rent for the next tenant. In Welland, the waitlist for a space with Niagara Regional of Housing (NRH) is anywhere from three to sixteen years. A research report affordable housing in Niagara found that rental prices have increased 10-15 percent since 2019, and fifty six percent of renters cannot afford an average two-bedroom apartment.
A motion by one of my colleagues calling on your Government, Premier, to establish and fund a homelessness and housing crisis strategy was voted down by your MPP's in March. There have been several other motions to highlight and help the affordable housing crisis, all soundly rejected by your government.
Mr. Premier and Minister Clark, safe, affordable housing should be a right, not a privilege. For too many it's increasingly out of reach thanks to skyrocketing rents that continue to climb.
Full Letter to Premier Ford and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Clark