Changes to the residential tenancies act, includes a two-year extension on the rent cap.
The bill tabled in the legislature Friday, would have the rent cap stay at five per cent until December 31, 2027, instead of December 31, 2025.
“Given the challenges we’re facing in our rental market, we need to consider the increased costs that landlords face managing their properties. We need to balance this and extend the cap to help renters who are facing rising costs due to inflation,” said Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Service Nova Scotia.
In addition to that, landlords would be able to push through evictions much quicker.
They could start the process if your rent is late three full days, giving you ten days to pay or dispute the notice.
Nova Scotia at this time has the longest eviction timelines in the country.
Landlords are currently required to wait 15 days after rent is late, then another 15 days to pay their rent in full or dispute.
LeBlanc says they will keep a close eye on the rental market and the needs of tenant and landlords in the province.
Other changes include:
– new, clearer conditions for when landlords can end a tenancy, such as criminal behaviour, disturbing another tenant or the landlord, repeated late rent payments, or extraordinary damage to the unit
– prohibiting tenants from subletting their unit for more rent than they are currently paying for it
– permitting the province to publish all or part of the residential tenancies director’s orders issued after a hearing
– new requirements for landlords to provide email addresses if their tenants also provide them
– establishing a common anniversary date for land-lease communities for changing or implementing rules and posting rules in an area that is accessible by all community tenants.
Opposition says it’s a ‘sad day’
The provincial NDP do not approve of the new proposed legislation.
In a news release, Leader Claudia Chender says the government keeps talking about striking a balance between the needs of landlords and renters.
However, she says, under the current system, large landlords will get more protection, while renters continue to struggle.
“This is a sad day for the 30 per cent of Nova Scotians who rent in this province. By extending this failed rent cap without closing the fixed-term lease loophole, rejecting a much-needed tenancies enforcement unit and making evictions easier, more Nova Scotians will become housing insecure in the face of the housing crisis that we’re already in.”
Chender adds, the NDP have been putting forward a ‘sensible solution’ over the past several years.
“…where rent increases are tied to CPI, where landlords and tenants can apply to Residential Tenancies in a functional way, and where we have an enforcement unit to ensure we actually have a balanced system.”
“We need real rent control now, or we will see more people evicted into homelessness as we head toward the coldest season of the year.”
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