Alberta NDP wants rent control, but the provincial government says no

Alberta NDP MLA Janis Irwin. (Alberta NDP)

Alberta’s official opposition wants the government to introduce rent control caps.

Janis Irwin, the Alberta NDP’s housing critic, tabled a bill in the legislature on Tuesday that, if passed, would establish a two-year temporary rental cap at 2%, followed by a two-year rental cap tied to inflation.

Bill 205, the Alberta Housing Protection Act, would also increase reporting requirements to ensure the government is meeting its intended housing targets.

“An alarming number of people are at risk of homelessness,” Irwin said in a statement.

“This crisis needs swift and immediate action. Bill 205 curbs the pressure of soaring rental costs by establishing temporary caps on rental increases.”

You might also like:

According to a recent report by rental platform Zumper, prices for a one-bedroom apartment skyrocketed, going up by 26% compared to what they were at the same time last year. Prices for a two-bedroom also rose by 29.4%.

Despite Edmonton being one of the more affordable Canadian major cities for rent, prices there also climbed year-over-year, with the cost of a one-bedroom and two-bedroom each seeing increases of 20% and 14.8%, respectively.

“I honestly feel like the rental issue we have right now is all-consuming, it’s all I think about,” said Christine Crane, a Calgary renter.

“It’s not only affecting me. I can give you at least 30 names of people who are renting in my own circle that are seeing $300, $400, $900 every month that they have to reallocate. And the only option we have is to pay it.”

The provincial government, however, has no intention of introducing a cap, saying it is instead focused on increasing the supply of housing across Alberta.

“In her mandate letter to Minister [Jason] Nixon, the premier tasked the minister with developing an affordable and attainable home ownership and rental strategy that focuses on incentivizing the construction of new homes and rental units and creating additional financing options for prospective homeowners,” Heather Barlow, the press secretary for the minister of seniors, community and social services, said in a statement sent to Daily Hive Urbanized.

“Rent control does not work. Instead, our government offers the rental supplement program, which supports low-income Alberta households.”

The City of Calgary also implemented a similar strategy where it is focusing on increasing housing supplies in an attempt to curb the crisis.

Ward Eight Councillor Courtney Walcott, who championed the strategy, previously told Daily Hive Urbanized that more needs to be done from all levels of government to protect renters and strengthen the Alberta Tenancies Act.

Bill 205 attempts to introduce several measures that would protect renters from unexpected increases, however, Walcott said, it isn’t about tenancy disputes just yet.

“Limiting rent gouging for a temporary period of time alongside a vacancy protection that will prevent people from being removed from their home to find a tenant who can pay higher rents will protect people in this crisis,” he told Daily Hive Urbanized.

“There needs to be a long-term look at the policy to support housing construction, and I know some great potential amendments that will help keep housing construction on target while preventing displacement and gouging in the many 20, 30, or 50-year-old buildings where so many people live.”

You might also like: