The Rent Report
009 - Ontario's Path to Housing Reform, with Eric Lombardi
This episode of The Rent Report, a collaboration between Urbanation and Rentals.ca, features a conversation with Eric Lombardi, founder of More Neighbors Toronto, chair of the Toronto Branch of Build Canada, and a current leadership candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party. The discussion covers his views on housing policy, development costs, zoning reform, and the broader economic pressures facing Ontario's rental and ownership markets. Lombardi outlines specific proposals including a land value tax targeted at speculators, elimination of development charges and the land transfer tax, and reforms to building codes that he argues could reduce construction costs by 30 to 40 percent. He also addresses the recent trend toward purpose-built rental construction, government plans to purchase unsold condo inventory, and proposed changes to international student policy at Ontario colleges and universities. The conversation touches on the balance between provincial oversight and municipal autonomy in zoning decisions, the fiscal relationship between the province and cities, and what Lombardi describes as the underdiscussed risks facing homeowners in a market correction. This episode reflects the stated policy positions of a leadership candidate and is presented for informational purposes as part of our ongoing coverage of the Canadian rental market.
