HALIFAX — Amid unrelenting, heavy maritime rainfall, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh concluded his two-day tour of Atlantic Canada with a brief stop at a rally in Halifax that he had to shorten because of the weather conditions.
Several hundred individuals had ventured out despite the persistent rain to join an "Elbows Up, Canada!" gathering outside a convention center. There, they stood in shallow pools of water several inches deep to enjoy live renditions of The Tragically Hip’s hits and some Stan Rogers tunes.
"Oh, gosh," exclaimed a woman breathlessly as she spotted Singh navigating through the throng.
The NDP leader was greeted with enthusiasm, though not overwhelming, at the flood-soaked gathering. There, he exchanged handshakes, posed for photos, enjoyed some tunes, then returned to the campaign coach. Originally intending to stay longer, his crew—predicting sparse attendance because of the downpour—opted to keep the visit brief.
Perhaps this subdued conclusion aptly capped off a rather low-key journey that featured visits to St. John’s and Halifax. The tour lacked major gatherings or resounding cheers; neither did it encounter any jeering or hostility. In essence, it was remarkably unremarkable.
Earlier in the day, Singh vowed to enforce nationwide rent controls aimed at safeguarding tenants from unjust rental hikes, stating that the federal government must "take action" to assist those facing hardships.
They're discussing the high cost of rent, which can consume over half of their earnings," he stated during an announcement in Halifax. "This situation is unjust.
The NDP claims that both housing and rental costs have surged twofold since 2015. According to Rentals.ca, the typical monthly asking rent in Canada stood at $2,088 in February.
Singh stated that under his leadership, implementing rent control measures would be mandatory to receive federal funding for housing initiatives.
“If any province or city desires federal funding… for constructing houses, they must implement regulations that safeguard tenants,” he stated.
Rental rules differ significantly across provinces. For instance, Ontario implements a rent-control system capping yearly hikes for apartments constructed prior to November 15, 2018. Conversely, Alberta does not impose restrictions on how much landlords can raise rents annually.
NDP suggests that rent control might come in different ways, such as setting limits for rental price hikes or controlling vacancies. They propose introducing a renters' bill of rights which would make sure federal money allocated for housing comes with requirements aimed at protecting tenants.
According to a survey conducted by Royal LePage and published last year, 53 percent of Canadian tenants spent over 30 percent of their income on rent payments.
At this moment, folks are looking for some hope," Singh stated. "I aim to provide you with some optimism.
Singh made his commitment along with his candidate in Halifax, Lisa Roberts, who aims to reclaim a seat that the NDP had held for almost twenty years before the Liberals won across Atlantic Canada in 2015.
Robert, who previously served as part of the provincial parliament, mentioned that she took on the role of housing critic for the NDP when she first learned about an individual in her constituency resorting to sleeping in a tent, which occurred not more than a decade back.
At that time, I had people contacting my office stating, 'You must take action,'" she mentioned. However, she noted that nowadays, individuals have become accustomed to spotting tents throughout the city.
On Saturday at Robert's campaign headquarters, teenage canvasser Asia Urquhart, who is still in high school at just 16 years old, stated that the housing crisis was a key factor motivating her participation in the NDP election efforts. "My ambition is to attend university and pursue my studies; however, I am aware that everything comes with such hefty costs," she explained.
Currently, the NDP is trailing significantly behind both the Liberals and Conservatives in national polls and isn’t expected to secure any seats in Atlantic Canada.
However, there was some positive news as well, with Singh stating on Sunday that Ruth Ellen Brosseau, a previous Quebec MP who symbolised what came to be known as the "orange wave" back in 2011, is trying for a political resurgence in her constituency of Berthier-Maskinongé.
In 2019, Brosseau lost her position to the Bloc Québécois, as the NDP shrunk to just one seat in Quebec, yet she remains one of the most recognizable faces of the party within the province.
On a Sunday evening appearance on the Quebec talk show "Tout le monde en parle," Singh dubbed Brosseau a "star candidate" and encouraged Quebecers to boost the number of NDP Members of Parliament sent to the House of Commons.
However, when asked if this would mark his final campaign, Singh remained noncommittal.
To be frank, my focus is on the election campaign ahead," he stated. "We still have a few weeks remaining.
The report from The Canadian Press was initially released on April 6, 2025.
— With contributions from Christopher Reynolds in Montreal and Catherine Morrison in Ottawa.
Maura Forrest from The Canadian Press