LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Housing costs a concern

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/09/2023 (671 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I have been a resident in Paradise Village (mobile home park) since 2016. Since then, our rents have skyrocketed, with no relief in sight. Every year, at increase time, residents protest to the Residential Tenancies Branch of Manitoba; and every year we get rejection letters with the increases (well above guidelines) going ahead in favor of the landlord. The residents are angry and frustrated; high increases hurt seniors on limited incomes, and some are worried about being priced right out of the park.

We have recently learned that renters on leased land are not included in rent hike protection (loophole). That is unwelcome news, especially since our landlord/management is now requiring us to sign yearly leases, with financial consequences if we don’t. One has to wonder, how is it, that, the tenancies branch has never informed us of this “loopy” law, favoring landlords, when responding to our protest letters? They simply infer the landlord is within his rights. In asking our management why they suddenly required signed leases, the response was that they were told to do so, to cover their butts. Told by who, I wonder.

In any event, this leads me to think that the Tenancies Branch is nothing more than an incompetent, pro-business, government prop; and it should immediately be dismantled, and replaced with something or someone who can bring some fairness to situations like this. Furthermore, the piece of legislation that allows this loophole to exist, needs to be changed to correct, and prevent further, this travesty of justice.

And, as for those responsible for closing the Ste. Anne Hospital emergency overnight, for God’s sakes people, find a solution to keep it open, our elderly folks need to be looked after.