When it comes to ensuring affordability of housing* it appears that WORDS are NOT ENOUGH:

• In 2014, Mayor Naheed Nenshi of The City of Calgary was quoted in the Calgary Herald stating at the time of “Calgary’s affordable housing crisis and hot rental market” and Nenshi, a landlord himself…."I am reaching out to landlords and saying come on, this is not a get-rich quick scheme.  Figure out a way that you can continue to provide housing and get a decent return without gouging your tenants.  And there’s been way too much of that happening’….” [Emphasis added]  (See NOTE B.)
• In March 2020, Premier Jason Kenney of Alberta stated in the National Post:   “The poorest amongst us are being hurt by people who are unnecessarily hoarding….To those who are trying to exploit seniors and others during this time of a public health emergency, there must be a special place in hell for people like that.  Just stop it. It is completely un-Canadian. It is un-Albertan. It is unacceptable.”  [Emphasis added]  (See NOTE C.)

Isn’t “rent gouging” the same as “greed”/”hoarding of money”? JUST STOP IT. (See NOTE D.)

Key reports have long supported protection of and assistance for renters:

• Housing Affordability in Calgary 2018 - Calgary Economic Development, page 10:  “Other strategies that may be employed in encouraging market affordable housing…include:  Rent restrictions and resale price restrictions…."
• Housing in Calgary: An Inventory of Housing Supply, 2015/2016  - The City of Calgary in collaboration with the Community Housing Affordability Collective (CHAC) – page 7:  “A key recommendation of this report is to increase the supply of housing that is affordable for Calgarians at different income levels…”
• Housing in Canada’s Big Cities, May 2018  – The City of Calgary Affordable Housing Division – page 9:  “Protect the supply of rental housing. Along with increasing the supply of purpose-built rental housing, non-market housing and co-operative housing, it is also recommended that efforts be made to protect the existing supply of this stock….’

A crisis (EMERGENCY) of lack of affordable housing in Calgary existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, as referred to above.  (See also NOTES B and E.)  It is MORE THAN TIME to protect and help renters.  JUST DO IT!

THANK YOU, fellow Canadians, for signing the petition!!  It really does help.  Let’s PROTECT RENTERS:  let’s make it a WIN-WIN-WIN solution for Renters and Community as well as Landlords.  Please pass the petition on to others!

Stay safe, stay healthy!                                               

Anne

We the Courageous

*NOTE A: See the CMHC definition of “affordable housing” .

NOTE B:  Stop gouging tenants, Nenshi urges landlords -  Calgary Herald - October 18, 2014.  See photo.  See also:   Calgary’s mayor calls on landlords to stop “gouging” tenants – Global News – October 17, 2014.

NOTE C:  Kenney says ‘special place in hell’ for hoarders, scammers during pandemic – National Post – March 23, 2020.

NOTE D:  “Greed” as defined in Cambridge dictionary:   “a very strong wish to continuously get more of something, especially food or money”.

NOTE E:  Calgary’s supply of affordable housing is significantly lower than national average:  report – Livable.com – Market News, Kerrisa Wilson – March 8, 2017.  Boardwalk REIT is a member of Community Housing Affordability Collective (CHAC)  that has a vision for housing including that “Is affordable to all Calgarians across all income levels”.