I may be older but you’re obviously wiser, so I will try this again.
Laughter.
Considering the very tight rental market in Yellowknife at the moment and considering the rent increases that constituents are facing, I would like to ask the Minister whether or not there is anything in current legislation that limits the amount of a rent increase by a landlord.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.... Or Justice, I guess.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The rent has been an issue in the community. The community has addressed that with us, and we have met with the committees as well. There have been some requests that came in, so certainly, that is one of the areas that we are looking at.
With the current legislation we are working with, there are areas that we’re looking at where rents increase once per year, but they’ve got to be given three months’ notice. Those are in discussion, and we're working with our department on this specific area.
We are doing what we can to deal with those rent increases in the communities, specifically on those communities that have high rent. Mahsi.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I know that there is nothing in the current legislation that can limit a rent increase, except that there can only be one in any 12month period.
I’d like to know whether or not the Minister can advise if the department, in previous years, has ever considered rent caps.
Mr. Speaker, a rent cap has been talked about in the past government, but at the same time, it is costly to initiate that process. So it has been talked about, but the department hasn’t pursued it because of high costs for our jurisdiction, the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.
That was, unfortunately, the answer I expected. I know that rent caps are a very controversial issue. The landlords don’t like them; tenants do like them. But it also creates a diversion in the marketplace, and I can understand why they’re not currently in place.
However, to my suggestion of an ombudsman, I think there needs to be some sort of appeal for tenants. I’d like to know if the Justice Department has considered creating an ombudsman’s office to hear appeals from residents where no other avenue of appeal exists. Thank you.
We do take suggestions into consideration from Members. That’s one area that’s been brought to our attention in the past. And certainly, we will work with it, the suggestion that’s brought forward.
There needs to be ongoing consultation with the community, the renters, the tenants, and rental officers, and with our department and with the Members as well. This is one of the issues that’s been addressed to us, and we’re discussing it within our department. Mahsi.
Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think I heard the Minister say that he’ll consider the idea of an ombudsman’s office, so I’ll repeat the question. Will the Minister agree to look into establishing an ombudsman’s office for the next fiscal year?
We’ll look into those options. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
