N.S. election: Announcements Thursday on taxes, housing, health [Video]

HALIFAX –

Nova Scotia’s temporary rent cap and a loophole that allows landlords to avoid it were the targets of the provincial New Democrats on Thursday, as they promised to protect tenants from evictions and excessive hikes if elected Nov. 26.

An NDP government would ban fixed-term leases, establish rent control, and immediately slash the province’s temporary rent cap in half to 2.5 per cent, leader Claudia Chender said on the fifth day of the provincial election campaign.

“For too many people, the cost of rent is driving people out of the communities they love,” she said. “These protections will save renters money, keep our communities affordable, and most importantly help people plan their futures.”

Chender criticized the Progressive Conservative government’s record on housing, saying the average one-bedroom apartment in the province costs $2,000 a month, while rent overall has increased by 18 per cent in the last year.

The government’s decision …