New N.B. legislation aimed at helping renters falls short, advocates say
With both rent and the cost of construction rising, New Brunswick has introduced legislation for renters and landlords, which includes rent increases being limited to once every year and banning them for the first year of tenancy.
Other changes introduced include tenants getting 30 days to apply for a rent increase review, the rent increase notice period increasing from three months to six, and allowing the Residential Tenancies tribunal to review all rent increases.
"The idea here is, we can't have people living in accommodations and all of a sudden get forced to leave because of a massive increase," says Premier Blaine Higgs. "There has to be some notice, and it has to be timely, and have rationale behind it."
The legislation follows a 90-day review of the rental landscape in New Brunswick, which was announced in January of this year, and resulted in a report which was published in May.
Housing advocacy groups who were calling for rent control and for eviction protection for tenants in the province, however, say that the new legislation falls short.
"(Rent increases) only being limited to once per year could be helpful, but it could backfire" says Jill Farrar of ACORN NB, "in the way that people just start getting yearly large rent increases, because there's still no limit on how much rent can be increased."
The New Brunswick Coalition For Tenants' Rights is also expressing disappointment that they were not consulted as part of the new legislation.
"It's not addressing the real point," says tenant advocate Jael Duarte, it's even increasing the problem, so it's showing that we're addressing the rent increases, but it's not true – because there's not a cap."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.