Opinion | Ontario's 2023 rent increase will make more households food insecure

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• The province announced that in 2023, landlords will be able to increase rent by 2.5 per cent, more than double the previous 1.2 per cent cap.

• Meanwhile, the Ford government implied Ontarians should be grateful, because that figure is lower than the rate of inflation.

• A jump in rent, without any corresponding increases in incomes, will jeopardize the financial security of renters and leave them more prone to food insecurity.

• In York Region, renters are already struggling to find housing that is affordable, with 52 per cent of renter households spending over 30 per cent of their income on housing. Seeing the government widening the cap on rent increases — with no corresponding policy to increase wages and incomes of those who rent — is alarming. It's a sure sign more households will face worsening food insecurity as they struggle to make rent. The provincial government holds great power to influence food security: through the ability to control rent increases, impact incomes and change employment policies.  We call on our provincial government to make housing more affordable. They can strengthen rental laws for tenants, who make up 61 per cent of food-insecure households in Canada.