Renters advocacy group calls for landlord licensing in Alberta
CBC
The provincial chapter of a tenant advocacy group believes landlord licensing could be the solution to many Alberta renters' concerns about health and safety in their homes.
According to Fable Dowling, a spokesperson with Alberta ACORN, a licensing program would ensure landlords would be charged a small fee per rental unit to license their properties and be put on a registry for annual health inspections.
"Landlords are essentially running a business. Their business is housing," Dowling said.
"Just like we ask restaurants to get licensed, and just like you need a license to drive a car safely, it just makes a lot of sense that landlords also get licensed to make sure that they're taking proper care of their business, which is people's houses."
Through more frequent and proactive health inspections, ACORN's goal is to ensure health issues in rentals are addressed before they become major issues.
CBC Calgary previously reported that over 8,000 Albertans have called Alberta Health Services about health inspections since the beginning of 2021, and many renters say they're too afraid to call in fear of ruining their relationship with their landlord.
"A lot of renters don't know their rights, don't know where to go for help," said Dowling.
Landlord licensing programs have been implemented in other parts of Canada, including Toronto and London, Ont. Earlier this year, Windsor, Ont. launched a two-year pilot program where rental units would need to be licensed in some parts of the city.
Its success has Alberta's chapter of ACORN asking — why not us?
Dowling says the organization has reached out to members of Calgary's city council to get the conversation going among the municipal government. Eventually, he says ACORN would like it to become a provincial program.
Gerry Baxter with the Calgary Residential Rental Association, which supports landlords, says health inspectors are already busy as the current system stands — on a complaint-basis.
He says it would also increase costs in the industry, which would increase rent prices for tenants.
"If that ever became law, could you imagine the extra cost of government to hire all the inspectors that would need it?" said Baxter. "The reality is, it's completely unworkable."
He pointed to section 16 of the Residential Tenancies Act, which states that "the premises will meet at least the minimum standards prescribed for housing premises under the Public Health Act and regulations."
The Law Society of Ontario has suspended the licence of Deepak Paradkar, one of seven Canadians arrested in connection with alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding’s cocaine smuggling ring.
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is getting rid of unlimited mental health benefits for staff, blaming ballooning costs and former administrators for implementing it without proper due diligence or oversight.
Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's TV and film studios and streaming division for $72 billion US, a deal that would hand control of one of Hollywood's most prized and oldest assets to the streaming pioneer that has upended the media industry.
CBC Calgary kicks off its annual Make the Season Kind campaign this morning at Fratello Coffee Roasters.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.
Students at the University of Regina are days away from deciding whether a newly formed student association should become their official representative body.
All public schools on P.E.I. are closed Friday and thousands of Maritime Electric customers are without power as strong winds create hazardous travel conditions across the province.
Prince Rupert, B.C., residents are celebrating the holidays this year with coastal flair.
In the four years Chelsey Simmonds has worked at the Eva Rothwell Centre, she has seen the need increase every year at the centre’s community food pantry.