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Mark Zimmer and North Slave MLA Bill Braden ask Yellowknife renter Travis Armour to support their campaign for renter's legislation. - Darren Stewart/NNSL photo

Tenants, Braden launch petition

Seek support for renter's legislation

Darren Stewart
Northern News Services


Yellowknife (Jan 31/03) - Mark Zimmer said he's tired of rent increases and figured there must be thousands of Yellowknifers who share his concern.

Zimmer is circulating a petition with Barry Newman and Great Slave MLA Bill Braden to ask for legislation to protect NWT tenants from exorbitant rent increases and more investment in affordable housing.

"My salary doesn't go up 25 per cent a year, and I bet yours doesn't either," he said. "So how can they justify raising our rents that much."

Zimmer said he's seen numerous rent increases in the nine years he's been in Yellowknife and can hardly afford to live in his small apartment.

"It's getting ridiculous," he said.

At press time the trio had close to 500 names and signatures were still pouring in. Braden will present the names in the legislative assembly at an upcoming budget session. Zimmer, who operates a courier business that services the legislature, said he found an ally in Braden.

"We were just chatting one day and decided we should try to do something about this," said Zimmer.

The two decided to circulate the petition in Yellowknife stores this fall and already have a few hundred names.

Braden said he's not looking for rent controls.

"I want to see decent profits for landlords, but something needs to be done about this kind of sustained rate hike in a zero-vacancy market."

He said he's heard horror stories from his constituents about sudden rent increases with no corresponding improvements, and believes the situation will continue to get worse, even with the 300 new units expected this year.

"It's basically abuse in this hot market," he said. "Tenants need to have a decent format and a decision-making format that they can take complaints to."

Braden said there are effective tenant-landlord protections in place in Ontario and Quebec that he'd like to see the NWT come up with in future years.

Current legislation allows rent increases once in any 12-month period, with 90 days notice. There is no ceiling on rate increases, nor is there a defined process for tenants to have rate-related complaints dealt with.

"I'd like to see us get several hundred names," said Braden. "Enough to send a signal to the legislature that the public wants change."

Braden, Zimmer and Newman will be in Centre Square Mall and Yellowknife Direct Charge Co-op this weekend looking for more names for the petition.

Darren Peller, general manager of Northern Properties Real Estate (formerly Urbco) said rents in his buildings -- which include 796 units throughout the city -- raised rents between zero and eight per cent over the past year.

"That's well below other ones, I've heard some scary stories," he said.

He said one bedrooms range from $925 to $995 and two bedrooms go from $1,050 to $1,200.

"They're all full," he said. "We have seven or eight suites being renovated but we'd have no problem filling them."

Peller said he expects the vacancy rate to rise by the end of summer when new units are added to the market.