NDP attacking private sector rental housing providers again
For Immediate Release
September 8, 2026
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s NDP continues to attack Nova Scotians who own and operate rental properties with their latest piece of legislation, Bill 258.
“The NDP continue to propose ideas that punish and demonize the hard-working men and women that day in and day out deliver housing in this province,” said Kevin Russell, Executive Director of Rental Housing Providers Nova Scotia. “More than 90 per cent of rental housing providers in this province are sole proprietors, with no staff, yet the NDP continues to treat these Nova Scotians as their political punching bag.”
Russell noted that the NDP’s proposal in Bill 258 to entrench and expand rent control goes against the independent Affordable Housing Commission’s report in 2021, which recommended that rent control end once the COVID-19 state of emergency was lifted. He also noted that local ACORN Chair Heather Clark told the Standing Committee on Community Services in June that she was looking at moving to Alberta and Saskatchewan where rents are more affordable than in Nova Scotia. Alberta and Saskatchewan do not have rent control.
“Rent control makes rental housing more expensive. We know that from Statistics Canada and CMHC data over the last 25-30 years. When even the local ACORN chair says that she is looking to move to a province without rent control because the rents are more affordable, that should tell you how bad rent control is in helping tenants,” added Russell.
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Media Contact:
Kevin Russell
C: 902.789.0946
E: kevin@rhpns.ca