March 12, 2021
Nova Scotia Legislature
Mr. Speaker, since the Legislature last met, in the Spring of 2020, the issue that I have heard about most in my community, even during COVID-19, has been, unsurprisingly, the problem of unaffordable rents and the need for permanent rent control. Like many other members here, I have received hundreds of emails and phone calls asking me to support rent control in this House. Rent control was also the issue that I heard about most on the doorsteps during the 2017 election - so much so that I brought the issue to our caucus to see if we could push this government to restore rent control, which the Liberal government had cut in the 1990s. Since then, myself and the member for Halifax Needham have tabled legislation on rent control, and both times the bills have died on the order paper due to the lack of support from this government. 200 ASSEMBLY DEBATES FRI., MAR. 12, 2021 Rent control can mean the difference between staying housed and becoming homeless for people in Dartmouth North and all over Nova Scotia, the difference between paying for groceries, medications, and power, or not paying for them. I fully support the temporary rent control measures that were introduced this past Fall. They have made a great difference to Nova Scotians, but we need full, permanent rent control. I hope this government will use this legislative session to bring that in.