Rent control measures may be in budget, says Ontario housing minister

The Ontario Liberal government is "so close" to introducing rent control legislation that it "doesn't make sense" tofast-trackan NDP private member's bill to close a rent control loophole, according to Housing Minister Chris Ballard.

Last week,the Ontario NDP introduced a bill to expand rent controls in the province to include properties constructed after 1991.

The government may bring forward some rent control measures in the upcomingprovincial budget, Ballard said in an interview with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's Craig Norris on The Morning Edition on Tuesday. Hesaid he would bring forward measures very soon, although he didn't say when.

Listen to his interview here:

On Monday, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwathtold Craig Norris there's no reason the Liberals couldn't have fast-tracked the bill in order to protect residents of Ontariowho are facing substantial rent increases.

"There's nothing that prevents them from putting in an emergency measure in place for this particularly egregious loophole and then following up with further legislation," she said, adding the Liberals should make the legislation retroactive, in order to prevent landlords from increasingrents before new legislation is put in place.

Listen to her interview here: