Premier Tim Houston Extends Rent Control In N.S.
HALIFAX—Premier Tim Houston has changed his stance on rent control.
Oct. 20, the premier announced his government will introduce legislation extending the two percent residential rent increase cap to December 31, 2023.
Before the announcement, Houston had been unequivocal that he would not extend rent control past the end of the state of emergency—both during his campaign and in statements he made as recently as this month.
Houston said the rent control extension is a stopgap measure while more affordable housing is built.
Houston repeated his assertion that the hosing crisis in the province is primarily a result of a supply problem, but admitted short-term measures are needed while his government tackles it.
“In the short term we must extend the rent cap. It simply must remain until the supply issue can start to be addressed,” he said. “Tenants need help and they need certainty.”
He continued to argue, however, that rent control isn’t a long-term solution.
Houston laid the blame for the housing crisis at the feet of past governments of all levels.
“It’s clear that there are many factors that brought us as a province here today. In part, some of the crisis was created just by pure population growth success.
“But the reality is that a large part of the problem has been, quite simply, government. Government of all stripes, at all levels, despite taking credit for population growth, didn’t take the necessary steps to plan for, prepare for, and keep up with demand,” he said.
Houston laid out a series of measures his government plans to take to help deal with the supply issues.
The province will spend $35 million to create about 1,100 new affordable housing units across the province, including providing an additional 425 rent supplements for families that will take effect immediately.
The province will also build three new student residences at NSCC campuses across the province.
Houston also plans to create a planning task force to focus on faster development approvals for large residential projects in HRM. It will also change provincial laws to give municipalities the power to create “inclusionary zoning” that can force developers to put affordable units in their projects.
Houston’s government is also bringing in a slew of amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act to better protect tenants and ensure landlords can’t kick them out through “renovictions.”
Those measures include:
— tenants will be given a minimum of three months notice before they can be evicted due to renovations
— mutual agreements to terminate a lease between tenants and landlords must be in writing
— if a tenant does not agree to terminate the tenancy, landlords must make an application under the Province’s residential tenancies program for an eviction order
— landlords must give the tenant between one and three months rent as compensation for the eviction
— landlord violations of the new protections can lead to additional compensation for tenants such as covering moving expenses or paying the difference between the tenant’s new unit and the rent paid for their former unit, for up to one year.
Other tenant protections include:
— rental increase notices can only contain one amount, regardless of whether the tenant decides to renew their tenancy as a month-to-month or yearly lease
— landlords cannot charge different rental rates for different lease terms
— a streamlined security deposit claim process so it is easier for tenants to get back their security deposits
— landlords must provide a 24-hour written notice to enter tenants’ units unless the tenant gives permission or there is an emergency.
Changes around processes for landlords include:
— flexible effective dates for rental increase notices that are no longer tied to an anniversary date; such notices are still limited to once a year
— when a tenant’s dispute of a rental eviction notice is dismissed, an eviction order can be issued.
Jack Morse is reporter with CKHZ 103.5 in Halifax, a Huddle content partner.