Public Health Requirements

The Residential Tenancies Act requires the landlord to ensure that the premises are always maintained to at least the minimum standards for housing required by public health laws in Alberta. There are various statutes, regulations, and bylaws that deal with the condition of residential premises.

The most significant are (see sidebar for links):

• bylaws made by local authorities that only apply within their jurisdictions;
• Minimum Housing and Health Standards; and
• the Public Health Act that applies to the whole province .

There is some overlap within the various pieces of legislation, but they all need to be considered. Public health laws require building owners to keep housing premises to certain standards at all times, not just at the beginning of a tenancy.

May 2005