As a tenant we would like to…

As a tenant I would like to see a guarantee of rental affordability to support tenants, not increase the profits of the largest corporate landlords. We tenants need our government to crack down on illegal evictions, end the abuse of above-guideline rent increases, stabilize rents between tenancies and drive competition in the market by constructing purpose-built rental housing. We do not need legislation to make it so much easier to evict tenants, especially those who have rented their units for many years and pay their rents on time. An accidental oversight once in 20 years should not allow the immediate eviction of an otherwise reliable tenant. Such an attack on renters’ security and affordability, will hurt the very people our government should be aiming to protect. We need a government who stands up for renters and their rights.
Density is a prerequisite for a better future for residents of Ontarion,, who, if allowed to sprawl beyond our urban boundaries will encroach on wetlands, green spaces and agricultural lands which are protecting us from the worst effects of Climate Change. Sprawling into these spaces removes our protections from fire, flood and heat events. The already established urban centres need to increase density to end this sprawl. The ensuing traffic congestion can first be prevented and secondly addressed through more and improved public transit. In the city of Toronto dedicated bike lanes and bus lanes will help mitigate congestion. Support to the city for public transit will serve the interests of the over twenty percent or more of the residents who do not own cars who would otherwise only worsen said congestion if they were forced to resort to cars for transit from their homes to other parts of the city. Provincial transit funds must also be directed to dedicated transit lanes outside the city and into the Greater metropolitan area beyond. Buses in these areas have unpredictable arrival times at times due to the fact they have been swallowed up in the traffic congestion in the area which they serve. Dedicated rail lines are the best solution to such centres as Brantford and Brampton. Considering that the population and size of the metropolitan area outside the city of Toronto is the same as a small European country such as Belgium or the Netherlands, it is amazing that this has not happened. These countries serve the areas beyond their largest cities with networks of rail lines and the road traffic can mostly serve the transit of goods and services while the movement of people is done more quickly and easily by rail. Should the train be delayed, it is much easier to wait inside a rail car than stand at a bus stop in freezing weather or pouring rain for a bus which has been entangled in congestion and has fallen off its schedule. We need a more extensive build out of rail lines to these growing urban centres. Sprawl will only lead to more and greater road congestion, pollution and destruction of the natural areas which are filtering our air and water and protecting us from the worst effects of Climate Change.