TIME TO RECONSIDER RENT CONTROLS

People are beginning to see large increases in rent by some landlords in Halifax. This is especially devastating to persons on low income and fixed incomes. Shane O’Dell writing in the Chronicle Herald on January 12, 2013 quoted the monthly rent for a two bedroom apartment as $145 higher than a similar one in Montreal which has rent control (CMHC statistics). The concern is that with rent controls, landlords will refuse to build more rental units and will go to areas of the country where they are free to set their own rents based on the market. Without rent controls the market will set the going rents and the fear is that when the community experiences a boom time in the economy, as might occur with the proposed ship contract between the federal government and the Halifax Shipyards, large increases in rents will be the norm. According to Mr. O’Dell’s article, Nova Scotia had rent control at one time but it was removed in 1993 and the Minister of the day promised, “If we find one landlord taking advantage of the tenants of this province, we will reactivate the rent review program immediately.” See Mr. O’Dell’s article at: http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/415437-rent-control-empowers-citizens-on-limited-incomes#disqus_thread