London political candidates pitch rental policies at downtown tenant rights rally
While all major parties were invited, Ontario Liberal and NDP candidates were the only ones present

Tenant rights advocates rallied in downtown London, Tuesday, calling on provincial political parties to tighten rent controls and put housing affordability at the forefront, with the provincial election days away.
The rally, organized by tenant advocacy group ACORN, invited candidates from all political parties to discuss their plans to tackle the high cost of rental housing.
"We're here because we've got an election coming up, and our top priority is rent control. We're trying to get people to pay attention," said Jordan Smith, chair of the Carling-Stoneybrook chapter of London ACORN.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, rental costs have exploded across Canada. Following an initial period of rapid increases, now rent has started to level off in London, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Still, the average price of a one-bedroom rental in the city exceeds what people living on government support or minimum wage can often afford. Factors like renovictions and Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) delays continue to cause issues for renters, according to ACORN.
Prior to the rally, ACORN encouraged provincial parties to adopt the group's recommendations, including full rent control that applies to all buildings, includes vacant units and bans many above guideline rent increases.
Currently, any apartment, house, condo, basement or mobile home that someone has lived in since before Nov. 15, 2018 is covered by rent control, which limits yearly rent increases to 2.5 per cent.
The provincial Liberals and NDP had candidates at the rally. The Green party sent a representative. Ontario's Progressive Conservatives were invited, but did not attend, Smith said.
"It's disappointing. ACORN in an apolitical organization. We're ready to work with any candidate who supports what's necessary to protect the poor and working class," Smith said.
The PCs have been criticized throughout the election for seldom having their candidates attend events and debates in their ridings with the reasoning that those candidates are busy meeting voters at their front doors.
"It's not really surprising because they haven't shown up to anything. It's questionable how they're looking to solve these problems and these crises on the ground when they're not even willing to show up," Smith said.
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NDP, Liberal candidate pitches
Terence Kernaghan, the NDP's candidate for London North Centre, took aim at decisions made by PC and Liberal governments at the rally — including the last provincial Liberal government's decision to remove rent control from vacant apartments.
"What that became was an unwritten incentive to kick good, long-term tenants out of their homes, to renovict them, to harass them and bother them until they left their home, so that they could jack up the rent," Kernaghan said.
The NDP candidate's case for his party pointed to its recently unveiled platform, which includes more affordable housing and directives for municipalities to create more student housing.
He also called for the LTB to be overhauled, citing concerns over long waits, Byzantine bureaucracy and compulsory virtual hearings that many low-income tenants struggle to attend.

London North Centre Liberal Candidate Tariq Khan also attended the rally.
"My whole fight is to get funding from the province to London so we can help our residents fight against the cost of living," Khan said.
While ACORN says the Liberals have not agreed to all of their recommendations, Khan agreed that rent control is high on his party's list of priorities.
"Renters are also Ontarians. I started my life in London as a renter, so I can feel the pinch. I can understand. We need to revamp this system. I'm not making empty promises — I'm a retired bureaucrat and know how to get things done," he said.
Khan also told voters at the event his party wants LTB disputes to be decided within two months at most.
Smith said ACORN has given mixed scores to Ontario's main parties.
"ACORN is not specifically endorsing anyone, but ... the NDP are completely on board with all [of our recommendations]. The Liberals have a mixed report card," Smith said. "The Conservatives aren't on board at all."
The Progressive Conservative platform, which was released this week, focuses on building more homes and affordable housing, but leaves out rent control and other measures ACORN recommends.
Voters head to the polls on Thursday, Feb. 27.