The province has added new protections for renters. Effective immediately, tenants cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent or utilities before May 1st, and rents won’t increase while Alberta’s state of public health emergency remains in effect.
“We want to be clear: As of today, no one will be facing immediate eviction from their home for non-payment of rent or utilities owed to the landlord,” says Premier Jason Kenney.
As part of the updated Residential Tenancies Act and the Mobile Homes Sites Tenancies Act, landlords are also prohibited from further penalizing tenants who are late on rent by tacking on additional late fees Until June 30.
Those restrictions will be in effect even if the signed rental agreement states that a late fee can be applied. They also cannot be collected retroactively.
“We are expecting landlords and tenants to work together to figure out payment plans that help everyone meet financial obligations as we manage COVID-19, and we are doing further policy work on support for renters during these tough times,” Kenney adds.
Landlords can still evict tenants if the reason is unrelated to rent or utility payments like safety concerns or criminal activity.