Bell: Ford’s Conservatives have left tenants in vulnerable housing situations with nowhere to turn

QUEEN’S PARK – Only four out of 13 landlords who were fined for bad faith evictions actually paid the fines they owed according to a new CBC report. The Report also shows that the current accountability tools in place, such as fines, are not working to keep bad faith landlords in check in Ontario’s increasingly hostile housing market.

“Ford’s Conservatives have abandoned any pretense in enforcing renter protection laws. Renters are on their own left to fend for themselves in a hostile housing market,” said Jessica Bell (University—Rosedale), Official Opposition NDP critic for housing.

“When tenants face a tough housing situation there’s nowhere for them to turn. Bylaw offices don’t come, the police don’t intervene, and it takes years to even get a hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board.

“To make housing safe and affordable, Ontario needs to bring in strong renter protections, hire more bylaw officers to enforce the laws we’ve got, and fix the Landlord and Tenant Board so it can quickly hear cases and enforce its laws. The affordability of our province is at stake.”