Advocates want federal party leaders to take a serious look at the housing rental issue, an increasing affordability crisis in some parts of the country. The province of Ontario is the hardest hit, but the question remains, is there a crisis in our riding of Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke? The benchmark is 30 percent; according to experts, you should not be spending more than 30 percent of your income on housing and utilities. Provincially, 46 percent of renters are paying out more than that, but our riding is below the provincial average, sitting at 39 percent, with about 21 percent of income paid out to housing costs. Of that number, 14 percent are spending more than half of their earnings on rent and utilities, leaving very little left over. According to the 2019 Canadian Rental Housing Index, there are more than 10 000 renters in Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke and our incomes average around $49 000 a year, about four thousand less than the average provincial income. Across the river in the Pontiac, 32 percent of renters are paying out more than 30 percent of their income annually. Thirteen percent are doling out over 50 percent of their paycheque for the roof over their head. The index indicates certain demographics are feeling the crunch more than others, including single mothers, Indigenous households, new immigrants, seniors and Canadians under 30.
