Rent Control Facts

The fact remains that the most affordable and rent-friendly jurisdictions in Canada are in places where there are no price controls (Alberta and Saskatchewan). Creating affordable, strong, and inclusive communities ensures all Canadians have a broad range of housing options. While rent controls are often first cited as a means to reduce housing costs and may seem like a quick-fix, evidence suggests otherwise.

FACT VS FICTION:
THE REALITIES OF RENT CONTROL

• Housing providers are supportive of policies that drive the creation of more affordable housing supply in Canada.
  • ForAffordable.ca

• The most affordable provinces within the country are those with no price controls
  • Here are the prices for 2 bedrooms throughout the country.
    • Alberta and Saskatchewan where there are no price controls (Lloydminster $964, Edmonton $1,356, Calgary $1,891, Saskatoon $1,152, Regina $1,241)
    • Relative to Ontario and Quebec which have rental price controls (Toronto $3,266, Vancouver $3,694 ) Rentals.ca, National Rent Rankings, September 2022

• Boardwalk’s Calgary and Edmonton communities– 90%+ of our communities are affordable - defined by CMHC as 30% of a household’s before-tax income – cmhc-schl.gc.ca).
  • Boardwalk has imposed self-regulation since 1999 +internal subsidies for Resident Members in good standing who can prove they cannot afford the increase.

• Flexibility with all Resident Members in good standing one on one when they express concern regarding their increase.

Rent controls have failed to prevent rents from increasing and have failed to provide more affordable rental housing. Proponents of rent control may be quick to argue that unregulated markets experience periods of high rent increases with big increases to nominal rents. But is this really true? Find out in the following article: “The Unintended Consequences of Rent Control”