Connect with us

Community News

How as a province do we go about dealing with extreme rental increases?

Published

on

Photo by Erik Mclean

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Has anyone taken a look at some of the rent prices in Toronto? Oh Lord! The affordability of housing is a concern in Ontario, and it’s a complex issue influenced by various factors. In Toronto, there is a high demand for housing due to population growth and migration, but the supply of housing has not kept pace. This has led to increased competition for available housing units, which naturally drives up prices. Let’s take a look at what is going on, and then discuss what needs to be done.

The National Rent Report charts and analyzes monthly, quarterly and annual rates and trends in the rental market on national, provincial, and municipal levels across all listings on the Rentals.ca Network for Canada. The data from the digital rental platform Rentfaster.ca is incorporated into this report. Rentals.ca Network data is analyzed, and the report written by Urbanation, a Toronto-based real estate research firm providing in-depth market analysis and consulting services since 1981. The report was eye-opening, and there is reason for the anxiety that is felt by people looking for somewhere to live, especially in Ontario.

Toronto finished second on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in August for a one-bedroom at $2,620, and third for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $3,413.

Mississauga came in fourth on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in August for a one-bedroom at $2,379 and $2,872 for a two-bedroom. Year over year, average monthly rent in August for a one-bedroom in Mississauga was up 15.3% and up 18.4% for a two-bedroom.

North York came in sixth for average monthly rent in August for a one-bedroom at $2,263 and sixth for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,719. Year over year, the average monthly rent in August for a one-bedroom in North York was up 10.7% and up 6.6% for a two-bedroom.

Etobicoke finished seventh on the list for average monthly rent in August for a one-bedroom at $2,253 and fourth for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,939. Year over year, average monthly rent in August for a one-bedroom in Etobicoke was up 6.2% and up 7.4% for a two-bedroom.

Now, let’s take a look at the average asking rents. Canada reached a new record high of $2,117 in August, with a monthly increase of 1.8% and an annual growth rate of 9.6% according to the Rentals.ca and Urbanation latest National Rent Report.

Over the past three months, spanning from May to August, the Canadian rental market experienced a 5.1% increase in asking rents, equivalent to a monthly rent increase of $103.

“Unlike in the U.S., rent inflation in Canada has failed to cool down despite rental completions having reached their highest level in decades” said Shaun Hildebrand, president of Urbanation. “This is illustrative of the severe rental housing shortage across the country and the magnitude of the impact on rental demand as the population expands by a record pace.”

While Calgary maintained its position as the leader in rent growth among Canada’s largest cities, recording a 17.3% year-over-year increase to an average of $2,068 for purpose-built and condominium apartments, Montreal closely followed with annual growth of 16.4%, marking the first-time asking rents surpassed $2,000 at $2,001. Toronto and Vancouver, the country’s most expensive cities, posted below-average annual rent increases of 8.7% and 7.3%, respectively, reaching average monthly costs of $2,898 (Toronto) and $3,316 (Vancouver). Notably, average rents in Vancouver decreased by 0.7% on a monthly basis.

Annual increases were also observed in mid-sized markets, including Brampton (ON) at 21.6% to an average of $2,713; New Westminster (BC) at 17.8% to an average of $2,511; and Côte Saint-Luc (QC) at 16.4% to an average of $2,271. In Alberta, the fastest growth in mid-sized markets occurred in Grande Prairie and Lethbridge, both at 9.3%, with average rents of $1,169 and $1,276, respectively. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Regina led with an annual growth rate of 10.9%, while Winnipeg posted an annual increase of 8.3%.

Studio apartments recorded the most significant month-over-month rent increase, increasing by 2.4% to an average of $1,480. One-bedroom units led the year-over-year growth at 14.8%, averaging $1,880 per month. Meanwhile, two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom units commanded average asking rents of $2,233 and $2,448, respectively, marking annual increases of 12.3% and 10.6%.

Rents for shared accommodations, such as roommate arrangements, continued to rise. In Quebec, average asking rents for shared units grew by 24.0% annually to $888 per month, followed by Alberta with 20.5% annual growth to an average of $851. In British Columbia, average asking rents for shared accommodations increased by 17.7% annually to $1,150 per month, while roommate rents in Ontario grew by a more moderate annual pace of 7.5% to an average of $1,040.

So, what now? How as a province do we go about dealing with these extreme increases? Addressing the issue of rising housing costs requires a multifaceted approach that may include:

  • Increasing Housing Supply: Encouraging the construction of more affordable housing units can help alleviate shortages.
  • Regulatory Reforms: Reevaluating zoning laws and regulations to make it easier and more cost-effective to build new housing.
  • Affordable Housing Programs: Government initiatives to subsidize or provide affordable housing options for low-income individuals and families.
  • Community Development: Fostering community development and revitalization efforts to ensure that rising housing costs don’t lead to displacement.
  • Income Support: Increasing the minimum wage or providing other forms of income support to help individuals and families afford housing.
  • Property Tax Policies: Implementing property tax policies that discourage speculative buying and promote long-term residency.

We, as humans are guaranteed certain things in life: stressors, taxes, bills and death are the first thoughts that pop to mind. It is not uncommon that many people find a hard time dealing with these daily life stressors, and at times will find themselves losing control over their lives. Simone Jennifer Smith’s great passion is using the gifts that have been given to her, to help educate her clients on how to live meaningful lives. The Hear to Help Team consists of powerfully motivated individuals, who like Simone, see that there is a need in this world; a need for real connection. As the founder and Director of Hear 2 Help, Simone leads a team that goes out into the community day to day, servicing families with their educational, legal and mental health needs.Her dedication shows in her Toronto Caribbean newspaper articles, and in her role as a host on the TCN TV Network.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Community News

Are citizens the ones causing harm to the environment, or is it our world leaders?

Published

on

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

For many years now, we the public have been hounded by the climate change hoaxers in government and climate zahrs who have lied to us, lectured us, and now have subjected us to punitive financial steps to make us comply with their climate change lies. In this piece, we shall first look at, and then reveal who the real climate vampires are.

A recent study published by PubMed has revealed what many others have long suspected, which is that wireless radiation emitted by cell towers and other wireless technology harms both human health and the environment.

All these mentioned in the paragraph above fall under electromagnetic fields (EMF), which seriously affect many different life forms, from plants and animals to insects and bacteria.

This is exceptionally serious considering that from the depths of the soil to the highest layers of the atmosphere imbalances caused by this wireless radiation emitted by cell towers can affect the universe in ways that we as humans never thought possible; here is how this is happening.

It is important to note here that as recently as August 2021, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in favor of Children’s Health Defense (CHD) in its landmark case against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), challenging the FCC’s decision not to review its health and safety guidelines regarding 5G and wireless technology.

This happened because the court recognized that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) did not fully disclose the harmful effects of these radiations upon the public. This ruling also made it clear that the FCC was arbitrary and capricious in its failure to respond to comments concerning environmental harm caused by RF radiation.

Here are the findings of this study about what, how, and who is affected.

As mentioned earlier studies have shown that radiofrequency EMFs can have detrimental impacts on plant species, some of these impacts include: A shorter lifespan in certain plant species and trees that are exposed to cell towers being damaged on the exposed side which over time spreads to the entire tree.

In animals the effects are devastating; here is how. Radiofrequency EMFs have also been shown to adversely affect several animals such as: birds, frogs, rats, and mice.

These studies show that electromagnetic pollution from wireless telecommunications may be a factor in reducing certain mammal populations. There has been a notable decline in the number of babies and irreversible infertility in mice due to radiofrequency radiation.

Cell towers can cause developmental problems and death to the tadpoles exposed to them. Then there is the inability for birds to navigate their path safely because of electromagnetic noise, which blocks out their magnetic compass.

Even rats that come into contact with the waves from these cell towers give birth to babies with altered genetic expression in the brain. Insects experience changes in their: behavior, physiology, and morphology because of the trauma of these 5G networks and their towers.

This study revealed that even bacteria are not exempt from the harmful effects of EMF sources such as Wi-Fi, which have also been shown to have significantly altered their growth rate.

Studies have shown that even the extremely low-frequency EMFs from power lines can produce changing effects in the magnetosphere, the region of space around the earth.

As promised in paragraph one, we looked at and explained the damage caused by these: cell towers, WIFI, radiofrequency EMF, and 5G radiation. In closing, we will examine who is responsible. I will be concise in my answer by saying that it is those mentioned in the same paragraph.

Imagine hypocrites and liars like: Al Gore, Tony Blair, John Kerry, Justin Trudeau, and the little WEF climate actress Greta Thunberg lecturing us on climate change.

These are the liars who use private jets to circle the globe religiously, while climate taxing us and attempting to shame us for using our little cars.

Finally, we must follow the money. Who owns and benefits from the 5G rollout? Readers, I am sure your surname is not BlackRock or Vanguard, is it? Now we know who is controlling these greedy climate puppets mentioned above.

Continue Reading

Community News

Public Service Alliance of Canada calls on government to ensure pension surplus goes to workers and not o federal coffers

Published

on

BY PAUL JUNOR

The issue of what to do with the federal public service pension surplus of $9.3 billion is of significant concern to more than 700,000 federal public service workers, retirees, and territorial government employees. The federal government has expressed an interest in utilizing the surplus and this has prompted the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) to launch a national campaign to bring awareness of the government’s plan. PSAC released information in a press release on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024, to express its concerns about the government’s planned actions.

Sharon DeSousa, National President of the PSAC states, “This is a betrayal of trust. Workers and the government contribute equally to this pension fund, but now the government is taking a break while workers are left to shoulder the burden.” PSAC believes that the government’s desire to put its hands on the surplus pensions would be a precedent-setting move. It could prompt private and public employers to do the same thing to their employees’ pension plans. This is an essential issue for the largest public sector union in Canada. “This is more than a fight for public sector workers; it is a fight for everyone who believes in: fairness, accountability, and the retirement security of workers.” National President Dsouza notes further, “If the federal government (the largest employer in the country) can raid its own workers’ pensions, what stops other employers from doing the same thing?”

PSAC is optimistic and hopeful that the federal government will reverse its course of action as it is still early. They have presented three possible solutions to protect retirement security and tackle the pension surplus. These include:

  • Reverse the two-tier system:

Reverse the two-tier system introduced by the Harper government in 2012. Under the Harper changes, federal workers who started their jobs on, or after January 1st, 2013, must work five years longer to reach full retirement. This inequality is fundamentally unjust.

  • Equitable retirement options for frontline workers:

Follow through on the government’s commitment to provide equitable retirement benefits for frontline public safety workers.

  • Suspend employee contributions:

If the government gives itself a contribution holiday, workers who equally pay into the pension plan should get one too, ensuring fairness and equality.

DeSousa states, “This isn’t about pensions; it’s about fairness, accountability, and doing the right thing for the workers who serve Canada every day.”

In a press release on Monday, November 25th, 2024, issued after the federal government’s announcement of a multi-billion-dollar surplus, PSAC notes that “This represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in the future of Canada’s public service, and righting the wrongs of the Harper era.” The press release referred to a report by the independent Chief Actuary of Canada, which acknowledged that there was a $1.9 billion surplus in the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) that is more than the optimal surplus allowed according to prescribed legislation. These funds will be transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund by the government.

PSAC is not pleased that federal workers who commenced on, or after January 1st, 2023, have to wait five years later to get a full pension. For PSAC, “This inequality is fundamentally unjust.” President DeSousa notes, “Federal workers built this pension surplus through their hard-earned contributions, and taking these funds is a betrayal of their trust. It also sets a dangerous precedent for all Canadian employers who may now be eying the pension contributions of other public sector workers.”

PSAC believes that the transfer of these funds into general government revenues rather than to alleviate the unfair two-tier pension system is inherently unfair. PSAC has offered a cost-neutral policy to the government to undo the policies introduced by Harper and will continue its fight to ensure these funds are allocated equitably. “PSAC is determined to express opposition to any actions by the federal government to divert these funds,” DeSousa notes. “A two-tier system is inherently unfair, especially for: racialized, Black, Indigenous, and young workers who make up the majority of recent hires-the same workers this government has confirmed to support and recruit into the public service. If the government is serious about equity and inclusion, we need fair retirement benefits for everyone.”

In an email on Friday, November 29th, 2024, PSAC announced that government’s actuaries revealed that $7.4 billion will be taken from the PSPP as it suspends employer contributions. The government has tabled measures indicating that it will pass the surplus to its coffers. President DeSousa states, “The decision by the government to put itself ahead of workers is wrong. They’re suspending employer contributions for the plan, but not investing in fairer pensions, or a contribution break for workers. That is a betrayal.”

PSAC is disappointed that the government did not engage in consultations with them and hid their true intentions hoping that they would not be found out. DeSousa notes, “The government could have given much-needed financial relief to some of the lowest paid workers in the federal government and make a fairer pension system in a revenue-neutral way, at no cost at all to taxpayers. The question is, why didn’t they?”

DeSousa expressed disappointment at the failure of the government to table pension reform legislation and ensure that frontline public safety and law enforcement workers have access to future equitable retirement benefits. “I spoke with the Prime Minister earlier this week. He must do right by these workers. It’s not too late.”

Continue Reading

Community News

Vegetable Pancakes: Wintertime delicious

Published

on

BY STEVEN KASZAB

Zucchini Pancakes: A flexible vegetarian meal that allows you to add whatever you desire to it, feeding your family a nutritious main for breakfast, or lunch. The main ingredients need not be zucchini, but perhaps squash, or any other fleshy fiber laden veggie. Also, you can top the pancake with just about whatever you desire be it: hot peppers, fried eggs, jam or even delicious maple syrup.

Family instructions: You will prepare this just as you would a regular pancake.

  • Shred three small zucchini’s and add a teaspoon of salt to draw out the moisture, leaving it to breathe for about 10-15 minutes.
  • While you’re waiting, chop green onions, or scallions finely. You will need 3 – 4 eggs to blend into the zucchini. If you wish to replace eggs with another substitute that will bind the shredded zucchini such as: flax, or chia seeds in water, mashed bananas, or applesauce do so.
  • Mix together and add if you so desire a cheese such as parmesan cheese to your distinctive taste, along with fruit, or berries. Add one cup of flour (more if you want the pancake to be denser).
  • Using a large spoon add to a hot pan, frying to your desired consistency. Flip and add some cheese to melt if you wish.

Another less costly ingredient may be the ever-present Mexican Avocado diced and added to the mix. The Germans often add fried onions with diced mushrooms and in Southern Italy don’t be surprised to find fried anchovies with pitted olives added.

Cooking is limited only by your imagination, so be creative, experiment and enjoy.

Continue Reading

Trending