A key prescription for containing the spread of the coronavirus has been social distancing, which requires people to stay at home and avoid crowded areas. The social consequences of COVID-19 have become clearly evident: the differential ability of Ontarians to protect themselves from this deadly virus stems partly from their access to safe and relatively spacious housing.

In Canada, the wealthy are staying in their multi-million dollar mansions with various luxuries available to them; the middle class work from home with their children running around in the background of Zoom meetings; and the poor and working class have been forced to spend their savings—or risk their lives as front-line workers—in order to continue to afford basic necessities.

Amidst this crisis, tenants, who are more likely to be single-parent families and low-income individuals, are particularly vulnerable to the hardships brought about by COVID-19. Renters also do not have access to many of the legal and financial protections given to homeowners. Their situation has become exacerbated because many are experiencing job losses or reduced incomes due to the pandemic-induced recession. This has led to intensified calls for an eviction moratorium and for rents to be waived.

The response from landlords has been aggressive. Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) has received almost 6,000 applications to evict tenants, and the number of applications is rising with each passing day. In such a volatile environment, it remains to be asked: has the province ensured that all Ontarians are equally protected during this crisis? What does Doug Ford’s legislative record on housing tell us about the intentions of his conservative government?