Trudeau Introduces a Renters’ Bill of Rights
Photo Credit: Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press
On Mar. 27, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced the Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights. The bill aims to address the urgent need for affordable rental accommodations nationwide.
The bill seeks to establish a nationwide standard for lease agreements, which mandates landlords to disclose rental price histories to prospective tenants.
This transparency not only provides tenants with vital information but also protects them against exploitative rental practices like “renovictions” — situations where a landlord evicts tenants under the pretense of needing to renovate the rental property, only to rent it out again at a higher price afterward.
This results in renter displacement and exacerbates the already worsening housing crisis. This practice has become increasingly prevalent in neighbourhoods with high demand for rental housing, which includes much of Metro Vancouver.
Trudeau announced the history of on-time rental payments would also contribute to the renters’ credit scores — a system that would mirror the recognition mortgage payments currently receive.
“We’re going to amend the Canadian Mortgage Charter and call on banks, credit bureaus, and others to make sure that your rental history is taken into account in your credit score,” Trudeau said.
A higher credit score makes it easier to qualify for a mortgage and receive a lower interest rate, making the change especially important for young Canadians who may have had less time to build up credit.
The Trudeau administration and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland have both emphasised fairness in the housing market, and have declared that the announced measures are designed to alleviate the housing unaffordability that currently burdens most Canadians all across the country.
Living expenses are rapidly increasing in cities like Toronto and Vancouver | Photo Credit: Stephane Legrande/Shutterstock via Daily Hive
However, the bill proposal has not been immune to criticism. Opposition parties question the bill's efficacy in addressing the root causes of the housing crisis. While Conservatives dismiss the announcement as political posturing, the New Democratic Party (NDP) has been calling on the government to invest more in affordable housing while temporarily preventing for-profit firms from buying designated affordable-housing spaces.
NDP Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan criticised the Liberals for not going far enough. “The Liberals are so out of touch with what Canadian renters are experiencing that they keep offering half-measures instead of a real action,” Kwan said in a statement.
Despite opposition parties criticising Trudeau’s announcement, housing advocates have praised the proposed reforms as a step in the right direction. Dale Whitmore, director of policy and law reform at the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights, emphasised the critical importance of establishing national standards and protections for renters, particularly in provinces that lack regulatory frameworks.
David Hutniak, CEO of LandlordBC, an organisation that represents landlords in the province, told the Vancouver Sun that he supports the new bill.
“Providing data on the history of rental unit prices will be good for tenants, and having credit scores indicating whether potential tenants paid their past rent on time will also be good for landlords,” Hutniak explained.
Hutniak acknowledged the public distrust of landlords and the stigma they face from renters, which he said stems from a lack of transparency. He said the bill could, “in the long run, help them become less villainized.”