This paper, which is in two parts, addresses questions of governmental action to ensure the availability of affordable and secure housing. The first section of the paper addresses rent control, i.e. statutory control over how much a landlord may charge in rent. The paper discusses:

• different systems of rent control,
• arguments for and against rent control,
• alternatives to rent control, and,
• issues that must be addressed when considering rent control.

The first section also includes appendices conveying information about the cost of living, the cost of producing housing, and the statutory provisions relating to rent control in various jurisdictions throughout Canada (all at the time of publication). The second section of the paper addresses the related issue of security of tenure: statutory and common law provisions that protect a tenant from being evicted without cause. The possible drawbacks and benefits of introducing a scheme granting greater security of tenure are discussed, as are the schemes in use (at the time of publication) in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The paper also includes a section on “specific problems respecting retaliatory eviction.”