Edmonton Renters Survey
April 2008
The Edmonton Social Planning Council is currently conducting a survey of renters in the Edmonton areas as a follow-up to last years' Renter's Listening Forums. The survery can be downloaded or filled out online at
edmontonsocialplanning.ca
Responses will be accepted until May 31, 2008. All renters that complete the survey will be entered into a draw for a $50 gift card for the grocery store of their choice.
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Service Alberta has prepared A Checklist for Renters and Landlords
August 2007
Service Alberta has prepared A Checklist for Renters and Landlords - a
helpful tool for anyone looking to rent space as either a landlord or a
tenant. It is especially helpful for those who will be sharing rental
space.
The checklist includes valuable information about tenant and landlord
responsibilities and explains why a written tenancy agreement is so
important - even for students who rent a single room in a landlord's
home.
A Checklist for Renters and Landlords is available on the Service
Alberta website
http://www.servicealberta.ca/pdf/tipsheets/checklist_08_13_07.pdf
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Four winners awarded Alberta Consumer Champion distinction
The Legal Studies Program (Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta) and the Alberta Real Estate Foundation received the Award of Distinction for their joint work to create an educational website on renting in Alberta: Laws for Landlords and Tenants in Alberta
Government News Release
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Alberta government creates one-stop service centres for housing pressures
The Alberta government has created one-stop service centres for housing pressures. The centres are meant to assist in a number of areas including:
emergency housing, rent supplements and general housing programs and services.
Government News Release
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Changes to Tenancy Laws 2007
Service Alberta oversees and enforces the laws that set out the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants in Alberta. Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act and Mobile Home Sites Tenancies Act are being introduced that will limit rent increases to once a year for fixed term and periodic leases. If passed, the changes will be retroactive to April 24, 2007.
With the new limits in place, landlords must still give three month's notice to tenants before rents increase. For mobile home sites, the notice is period is 180 days. Landlords wanting to end a tenancy to do major renovations or to convert a rental unit to a condominium will need to provide at least one-year notice and rental increases will not be allowed during that year.
Changes to landlord-tenant legislation to help stabilize rental market (news release)
Government News Release
April 2007 ________________________________________________________________
Province establishes safety standards for secondary suites
The Alberta government has created new construction and maintenance standards for secondary suites. The new standards follow 12 recommendations from an MLA review committee on secondary suites , which are self-contained living units that include a kitchen, bathroom and separate exit created in a single-family home.
Standards include specifications for ceiling heights, windows, fire protection, interconnected smoke detectors, heating and ventilation systems, as well as separate exits.
Click here for the complete government news release and backgrounder.
Secondary suites information page from Municipal Affairs
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$5 million approved for new rent supplement program in Edmonton
Three orders of government are joining forces to provide rental assistance to an estimated 400 low-income households in Edmonton. The new program is part of the City of Edmonton's Cornerstones Plan, and will receive $5 million over five years to provide rent supplements for families in urgent need of housing assistance.
A total of $2.5 million will be invested in this initiative under the Canada-Alberta Affordable Housing Program Agreement. The City of Edmonton will also provide $2.5 million and will administer the program.
Click here for the full Government news release
October 2006