Corporate Landlords Cash In—and Mark Carney Helped

TORONTO – Today, Jagmeet Singh met with renters in Toronto who are facing rising rents, surprise fees, and the threat of eviction—all while corporate landlords like Brookfield post record profits.

“Every person deserves a safe, stable, affordable place to live,” said Jagmeet Singh. “But corporate landlords are buying up buildings, doubling rents, and kicking people out just to make more money. And governments—Liberal and Conservative—have let it happen for decades.

In these tough times, when we’re facing down Donald Trump’s tariffs threats, renters shouldn’t have to worry if their leaders are on the side of the big corporations who are making their lives harder.”

Singh was joined in Toronto by Erin Filby. Erin and her son live in an apartment building that was purchased by Brookfield Investments while Mark Carney was its Chair.

“Getting a response to any issue we have is taking longer than it ever used to,” said Filby. “The first month they were in change, they took two months' rent out of my account. I called them immediately, but it took too long for them to put the money back in. My budget is tight, and because of that delay other bills bounced, and I had to pay insufficient fund charges.”

Erin has a rent-controlled apartment, but new tenants are being charged double. “We’re scared Brookfield will evict us and tear the building down to build three more. Then none of us will be able to stay in our community,” she said. “To us, it’s home. To them, it’s dollar signs.”

Brookfield is part of a wave of financial firms now dominating Canada’s rental market. 70 per cent of the biggest landlords are investment companies, not people who live in the community.

“Mark Carney helped build this system. As Chair of Brookfield, he made millions while families like Erin’s were just trying to make rent,” said Singh. “He’ll always be there for the boardroom. I’ll always be there for the kitchen table.

In tough times—whether it’s rising rents or Trump’s tariff threats—we need someone who puts everyday people first. I will fight for working and middle-class families because that’s who I come from, and that’s who I serve.”