An Ontario renter’s ‘scary’ situation with homelessness after landlords sell property

When looking back on how the last few years have gone, Robert Quinn, 61, says he is full of gratitude and proudly pulls out his keychain.

You would not think a keychain could have so much significance, but for Quinn, it’s a constant reminder of how far he has come.

Quinn is quick to show off the tags he has collected, one for each of the agencies that helped him find housing — his ‘badges of gratitude,’ as he calls them and most importantly, two keys.

The two keys are for the apartment he shares with five others and a room all his own.

“I look at them as keys to the future,” he says.

But it’s a future he was uncertain about not too long ago, recounting his struggles to find a home.

Having worked for over 35 years as a janitor, Quinn never thought he would find himself without a place to live in retirement. But he says that changed in 2022 when his landlords needed to sell the home he was renting because they had experienced some health issues.

He tried finding an affordable place to live but on a fixed income, there were few options available to him with the rising cost of living. He ended up staying at a friend’s trailer for a short time. When that situation did not work out, he found himself without options.

A December 2023Statistics Canada report about homelessness pointed to deteriorating affordable housing, combined with the pandemic and a surge in inflation leaving Canadians struggling. The report said that in the fall of 2022, 44 per cent of Canadians were very concerned with their household’s ability to afford housing or rent.

Statistics Canada says more than 235,000 people across Canada experience homelessness in any given year. But homeless advocates say that figure may be grossly underestimated because the number of