Provincial NDP goes after Toronto’s new rapidly growing demographic: condo-dwellers
In the May federal election, the NDP picked up a number of seats in Toronto that nobody thought they really had a chance at back in March, sending a bunch of long-time Liberals to defeat. It looks like the Ontario New Democrats are hoping for a replay of some of that sweet, sweet voter action, touting new policies that are obviously designed to appeal to segments of the Toronto population that the provincial NDP hasn’t necessarily appealed to before. Count yesterday’s announcement from Rosario Marchese as part of that gambit: the incumbent NDP MPP for Trinity-Spadina is attempting to ingratiate himself and his party to the city’s cond0-dwelling crowd by drumming up support for a bill that would protect condo owners from dishonest building practices and last-minute changes.
The Toronto Star has the story:
Despite the considerable size and affluence associated with the demographic, it’s a vulnerable segment of the population, says NDP MPP Rosario Marchese.
With the Trinity-Spadina representative leading the charge, the NDP has vowed to tackle condominium act reform if elected this fall.
The proposed changes include clearer, “good faith” language in the purchase paperwork, as well as the creation of a judicial board to handle disputes between condo owners, boards and developers.
Of course, the condo industry is opposed to regulations that would prevent it from duping any buyer that doesn’t have a lawyer handy. Still, we’re fond of this idea for beyond the policy implications. Politicians usually fall all over themselves to campaign with, for and on families—as Conservative leader Tim Hudak did just yesterday—so it’s nice to see a party court the city’s condo-dwelling demographic (the single, the married-without-kids and the trying-to-make-a-nest-egg).
