Jagmeet Singh Calls For A Fund To Protect Canadian Renters

Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh continues his tour of British Columbia, in Esquimalt yesterday calling on the federal government to put a fund in place to protect renters.

“There will never be enough affordable homes if we don’t protect the ones we already have,” said Singh.

“But that’s not what Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre are trying to do. They’re making things worse by letting rich developers turn affordable homes into luxury apartments. When a building with affordable apartments gets sold to these big developers, they renovict tenants and hike up the prices."

The fund would help not-for-profit organizations buy affordable housing when it’s on the market and make sure it stays affordable for renters.

“Everyone should be able to find a place they can afford in a community they love. But right now renters are living in constant worry about being 'renovicted' or seeing their rent double if a giant corporate housing profiteer buys their building to jack up prices.”, said Singh.

Singh says in just one year in Esquimalt, corporate landlords bought up half of the available properties, noting the price of a one-bedroom apartment is up to $2,100 a month.

Singh was in Campbell River and the Comox Valley last week.