Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

    • Here's what Trudeau says the upcoming federal budget will offer renters

    Share

    The federal government will create a new "Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights," which would require landlords to disclose their properties’ rental price history to prospective tenants.

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Wednesday in Vancouver, saying it's one of three new measures that will be part of the upcoming federal budget, which will also include a new housing aid fund and a push to have rental payments affect credit scores.

    Rental demand outpaced supply in most major markets across the county last year, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.'s (CMHC) review published in January. The average purpose-built two-bedroom apartment went for $1,359 per month, while condo rental costs sat at $2,049.

    Canada's overall vacancy rate fell to a new low at 1.5 per cent last year. Regionally, rates declined in most of Canada's larger cities, while rental costs surged.

    Tenants' rights advocates have long championed the concept of a rental registry, which could allow renters to see what the previous tenant paid for a unit before accepting a new rate.

    The incoming "Bill of Rights" aims to empower renters to "bargain fairly," a Wednesday press release said.

    Alongside it, Trudeau promised a $15-million fund for provincial legal aid services to "protect tenants against unfairly rising rent payments, renovictions, or bad landlords."

    "In today's Canada, more people are renting than ever before … Nearly two thirds of young Canadians rent their homes," he said, adding that younger people spend larger portions of their incomes on rent than other generations have.

    "Maybe young people want to start a family, but they don't know how they can afford something bigger than a one-bedroom apartment."

    The new rules will require significant buy-in from the provinces, which could be a "battle," Cedric Dussault, a tenants' advocate with Quebec-based organization RCLALQ, says.

    "To be frank, we're not sure this is really up to the federal government to enact," he told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview shortly after Trudeau's announcement, which he called "surprising."

    Dussault also threw cold water on the aid fund for provincial organizations.

    "It's better than nothing," he said. "It seems like a lot of money, but when we look at the whole country, at all the needs of all the tenants across the country, it will be used up quickly."

    Housing disputes can take years to make their way through the courts, Dussault explained, while staff salaries and legal consultation fees could also add up.

    "We are facing an explosion of demands from tenants," he said.

    Building credit scores

    The government will also amend the Canadian Mortgage Charter and "call on" banks and credit companies to incorporate rental payments into Canadians' credit history, the press release said.

    "This will make it easier for you to qualify for a mortgage, or even qualify you for a lower rate," Trudeau said, lamenting that a property owner can build their credit score while paying down their mortgage, but someone paying monthly rent cannot.

    "You're spending $2,000 a month on rent. That gives you no kudos. It gives you no credit," he said.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced earlier this month that the 2024 federal budget will be presented on Tuesday, April 16.

    Noting that Canadians continue to feel the squeeze of inflation, while increasingly becoming preoccupied with looming mortgage renewals, Freeland signalled then that the budget would focus on housing, affordability and jobs, while balancing the need to remain "fiscally prudent" by limiting major new spending plans.

    With files from Â鶹´«Ã½' Rachel Aiello

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    Canada

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • Canada will be without captain Alphonso Davies for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

    • The Edmonton Oilers may have found the break they were looking for.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • A suspect was arrested for allegedly brandishing a knife outside a Vancouver elementary school on Friday – just as the young students were heading home for the day.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    • Thousands of people gathered in downtown Vancouver Monday to observe the 100th Remembrance day ceremony at the Victory Square cenotaph, paying their respects to the Canadian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

    • Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • A man believed to be in his 40s has been rushed to a trauma centre following a stabbing in downtown Toronto.

    • EXTENDED VIDEO

      EXTENDED VIDEO

      Calgarians observed Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city on Monday, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • July 2025 may seem like it’s in the distant future, but for the St. Luke playground committee time is ticking to fundraise the $340,000 they still need to build a new playground.

    • Getting out to the mountains is even easier with a new bus route from a growing Germany-based service.

    • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

    • The Fleet Street Pumping station is Ottawa's oldest water facility. Up to two-thirds of the city's water supply can move through it,

    • The company confirms it will open the new Chipotle at 5671 Hazeldean Road on Thursday, in the former location of Benny & Co.

    • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats to a woman is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    • Private Martine Roy was only 20 years old in 1984 when she was arrested, interrogated and dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces for being what was then termed a "sexual deviant."

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • A member of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton participated in the national Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on Monday.

    • Canada will be without captain Alphonso Davies for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

    • Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Thousands gathered at the RBC Convention Centre on Monday to bear witness to a sombre and historic Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • One Manitoba veteran is on a mission to commemorate and honour those who served our country, and not just on Remembrance Day.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Fire crews reported that no one was hurt after flames broke out in a home on Robinson Street in central Regina.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A Barrie man is at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

    • The 75th anniversary of the Barrie Santa Claus Parade will feature floats, live entertainment, and new attractions, including Santa’s Fireside Gathering.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • Windsor Paralympic champion, Danielle Campo, has been crowned the number one Inspirational Speaker of the Year for 2024 at the Inspirational Speaking Finals.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police say that a 16-year-old was attacked with a sword Nov. 3 in Cobalt, Ont., in a case of intimate partner violence.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½