NDP Housing critic Cheri Dinovo called on the McGuinty Liberals to freeze Ontario rents for one year due to the economic crisis, by tabling a motion today at the Legislative Assembly.

“Renters from across Ontario have flooded our office with calls and emails. They’ve lost their jobs, had their hours cut back, and have seen their small businesses suffer,” said Dinovo. “They want to know, why, when they’ve not received a pay raise themselves, must their rents increase as though nothing was wrong?”

Dinovo’s motion stated that due to Ontario’s difficult economic circumstances, rents be declared frozen beginning June 1, 2009 until June 1, 2010.

“There have been 171, 000 job losses in Ontario since October. Ontarians can’t keep waiting for the McGuinty Liberals to develop a housing strategy; they need help now. They are losing their jobs now; and we must freeze rents now,” declared Dinovo.

While a one-year rent freeze in Ontario would cost the McGuinty government nothing, it would offer hope and protection for Ontarians, thousands of who are struggling to pay their rents.

130, 000 households across Ontario are on affordable housing wait lists, and 600, 000 renters devote far too high of their income to cover their rents.

“It’s clear to me that McGuinty has no immediate action-plan in mind. It boggles my mind that seems unwilling to freeze rental costs in order prevent further evictions and suffering,” said Dinovo.