Eviction orders have climbed steadily over the last decade according to the Rental OfficerSA国际影视传媒檚
There were 217 eviction orders in the reportSA国际影视传媒檚 time frame of April 2018 to March 2019. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 up from 150 and 153, respectively from 2016-17 and 2017-18. Before that, the last three reports found 86, 114, and 127 evictions, respectively.
Tenancy termination and eviction orders accounted for roughly 50 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively, of all applications heard last year, rental officer Adelle Guigon stated in the report.
These orders are more common for subsidized public housing tenancies, rather than private properties.
SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 not something to take lightly SA国际影视传媒 peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 stories donSA国际影视传媒檛 stop there,SA国际影视传媒 said Memorial University professor Julia Christensen, who studies Northern housing and wrote a book on homelessness in Yellowknife and Inuvik.
ChristensenSA国际影视传媒檚 research found there can be few options available to evicted tenants, especially if they are leaving one of the main landlords in Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒淓victions in (the city), or really anywhere else in the Northwest Territories, often leads to homelessness, whether itSA国际影视传媒檚 short term or long term,SA国际影视传媒 she said.
The increase is an interesting finding, noted Christensen, considering the vacancy rate has also slightly increased in recent years. Intuitively this would mean less competition for rental units, leading the report to come as something of a surprise.
She said her main concern was the impact on individuals after being evicted.
SA国际影视传媒淲hat this is kind of showing is perhaps landlords arenSA国际影视传媒檛 feeling too pressed and in too much of a place where they have to keep a tenant if theySA国际影视传媒檙e not satisfied with the tenant,SA国际影视传媒 she said.
SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e obviously feeling thereSA国际影视传媒檚 enough of a tenant market out there that they can afford to be increasing the number of evictions.SA国际影视传媒
There are also costs to consider. Those paying rent higher than an affordable 30 per cent of income roughly doubled from 1,059 in 2016 to 2,090 in 2019, according to a
In 2018, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported 2,500 Yellowknifers cannot affordably secure market rental housing.
Christensen said evictions and rental arrears are significant contributors to homelessness.
Due to a shortage in public housing stock, single low-income adults also tend to seek housing in the private rental market covered by the rental officer, as indicated in a
While the rental officer report only covers the total number of evictions, Christensen said it was important to consider who specifically was impacted.
SA国际影视传媒淲ho are the people being evicted and how is the particularly vulnerable group being impacted?SA国际影视传媒 she said, noting behaviours leading to eviction may require additional social and health supports.
The report also expressed concern over 31SA国际影视传媒恉aySA国际影视传媒恛rSA国际影视传媒恖ess fixedSA国际影视传媒恡erm tenancy agreements, saying their use appears to have a SA国际影视传媒減unitive purpose involving multiple backSA国际影视传媒恡oSA国际影视传媒恇ack (agreements).SA国际影视传媒
Consecutive terminations can be held over a SA国际影视传媒渢enantSA国际影视传媒檚 head in an attempt to control their behaviour,SA国际影视传媒 she added.
The Residential Tenancies Act doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 require cause, meaning the tenant canSA国际影视传媒檛 dispute termination, the report stated.
Later in the report, the officer called it SA国际影视传媒渦nnecessary, redundant, and excessive, providing an unreasonable amount of power to subsidized public housing landlords.SA国际影视传媒
Professor Christensen said these circumstances are a sign that landlords need assistance understanding the needs of their tenants, who may be experiencing crises. Similarly, she added, tenants need support to deal with the issues before they lead to eviction.
SA国际影视传媒淓veryone in this situation is in a difficult spot,SA国际影视传媒 she said.
The report also noted instances of landlords withholding security deposits. In these cases, it suggested several landlords were unaware that lost future rent doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 count as rental arrears.
However, some landlords intentionally retain the security deposit, aware they are in contravention of the act.
SA国际影视传媒淯sually they are counting on the tenant either not knowing that the security deposit cannot be retained against lost future rent, not knowing that they have the option to file an application for the return of the security deposit, or not being willing to pursue making the application,SA国际影视传媒 stated the report.
Cases of unlawful seizure, meanwhile, are relatively rare, according to the report.
There was, however, one case in 2018 where a landlord held a tenantSA国际影视传媒檚 vehicle pending SA国际影视传媒減ayment of the security deposit in full, payment of the first monthSA国际影视传媒檚 rent, provision of postSA国际影视传媒恉ated rent cheques for the remainder of the fixedSA国际影视传媒恡erm tenancy, proof of tenant insurance, and proof of transfer of the electricity account to the tenantSA国际影视传媒檚 name.SA国际影视传媒
While the officer found the landlord to be breaching the act, there were no means to grant the tenant compensation. In the report, the rental officer requested that the act be changed to grant tenants compensation.
Holding onto property either through a security deposit or a tenantSA国际影视传媒檚 vehicle have a significant impact when a tenant has limited resources.
Individuals in these situations rarely understand their rights or the resources available to them, Christensen added, which can lead to SA国际影视传媒渂eing taken advantage of, or (having) their rights abused in these kinds of situations.SA国际影视传媒