Message from Peter Tabuns (MPP for Toronto-Danforth) concerning their position they have taken today (March 30) on residential and commercial tenants. They hope that the Ford government acts on it. See below.

Ban on evictions or disconnections 

• The NDP is calling for a legislated provincial moratorium on evictions, lockouts or disconnections of tenants for the next four months, backed by law.
• The legislation should include commercial leases for small and medium-sized businesses.
• The NDP is calling for the legislation to make it illegal for any landlord to attempt or to threaten tenants with eviction or utility shut-off.
• This would be achieved through legislation or amendments to the Residential Tenancies and Commercial Tenancies Acts. Penalties under the Act are currently punished by a fine of $25,000.

• The NDP is also calling for a federal moratorium on mortgage foreclosures.

80 per cent rent subsidy

• The NDP is calling for a provincially-funded rent subsidy of 80 per cent of a household’s rent, up to $2,500 a month, for each of the next four months, for anyone qualifying for the federal emergency benefit. The money would be paid to the tenant.
• The same should be payable to small and medium-sized businesses to defray lease costs.

Six-month freeze on rent increases

• The NDP is calling for a six-month freeze on rental rates until, at least, September 2020.
• This could be achieved by a regulatory change.

Cost of proposal

• The cost to the province is estimated to be between $2.4 billion and $3 billion