Have a “HART”! STOP the “WAR” on renters. HOUSING is a HOME – a HUMAN RIGHT as per the National Housing Strategy Act, 2019 – NOT a GAME to play.
Thank you for signing my petition · Require landlords to appear at House of Commons Review of Financialization & Rent Gouging - Canada · Change.org.
See my Have a “HART”! STOP the “war” on renters PowerPoint Presentation (27 SLIDES) + Attachments at LINK1-June 12, 2025.
On Thursday June 12, 2025 I presented before The City of Calgary Council Community Development Committee regarding the Home is Here: The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy Annual Progress Update 2025, CD2025-0341 – with MINUTES. I spoke at ~4:14 in VIDEO (for ~5 minutes, I was the last presenter – in PANEL 6) with my Have a “HART”! STOP the “war” on renters PowerPoint Presentation + Attachments at LINK1-June 12, 2025.
Enough is enough! I mentioned that NOW – at the time of addressing the tariff war – is the time to END the “Investment Properties” financialization of housing model by which renters seem to be little more than playing pieces to “pleasure” landlords and investors with ever increasing rents. [SLIDE 1] The “Investment Properties” housing model of HIGHLY PROFITABLE multifamily residential landlords seems INCOMPATIBLE with the NEW Liberal “CANADA STRONG” platform to “drive down the cost of homes, rent and mortgage payments”, provide tax benefits to seniors and MORE…. See at: https://liberal.ca/cstrong/ [SLIDE 3] An “Investment Properties”/ REIT Housing model is apparently NOT compatible with aging in place. [SLIDE 24]
I requested:
- An IMMEDIATE minimum 3-year NATIONAL RENT FREEZE & EVICTION FREEZE + LOWER RENT-GOUGED RENTS…AND MORE.
- A HOUSING HUMAN RIGHTS HUB reporting to The City of Calgary Council to ensure accountability, planning and DATA tracking.
- LANDLORD LICENSING – NOW. With standardized Human Rights Based multi-year rental leases.
- PROTECT/BUILD non-market, non-profit permanently affordable “HART” Housing (see at the WEBSITE of the University of British Columbia https://hart.ubc.ca/housing-needs-assessment-tool/
- BUILD accessible housing – see The 7 Principles - Centre for Excellence in Universal Design
- Certify Boardwalk REIT Skygate Tower where I have rented for 27+ years as “HART” housing [SLIDE 11]
AND MORE.
See: at LINK1-June 12, 2025:
- My letter dated June 12, 2025 to Mayor Gondek and The City of Calgary Council (10 pages).
- My “Have a ‘HART’! STOP the ‘war’ on renters” PowerPoint presentation (27 SLIDES).
- My 30 Attachments – as LISTED in my letter dated June 12, 2025 to Mayor Gondek and The City of Calgary Council (at pages 1 to 10).
See about me in my letter dated June 12, 2025 to Mayor Gondek and The City of Calgary Council – in APPENDIX A – as well as referred to in my "Have a 'HART'! STOP the 'war' on renters" PowerPoint Presentation and Attachments - at - at LINK1-June 12, 2025. I am a senior of retirement age and I have a disability (post traumatic stress). Over 27+ years, I have paid my landlord (Boardwalk REIT/Boardwalk Equities Inc.) over $340,000 in rental payments; I would like my investment to be protected and to age in place in peace and dignity. Also see about me in the media - including: In Calgary, a builder emphasis on rental puts pressure on existing tenants – The Globe and Mail – January 16, 2020, with my “COMMENT.
I provide details from my presentation BELOW – please check to delivery. NOTE also that LINKS may change at The City of Calgary’s WEBSITE.
SLIDE1: Thank you for the opportunity to present. My name is Anne Landry. I am a long-term renter in the Beltline, Ward 8, in Calgary-Buffalo, in Calgary-Centre. NOW – at the time of addressing the tariff war – is the time to END the “Investment Properties” financialization of housing model by which renters seem to be little more than playing pieces to “pleasure” landlords and investors with ever increasing rents. In Calgary, implement an independent HOUSING HUMAN RIGHTS HUB* reporting to Council to ensure accountability, planning and DATA – AND MORE, to lead in the NEW ONE CANADA ECONOMY. *ALL Canadians have the RIGHT to adequate housing as per the National Housing Strategy Act, 2019.
NOW PIVOT the Administration and the City to a Have a “HART”! housing model – URGENTLY HELP more than 50,000 households in CORE HOUSING in Calgary (Census 2021) – provide them with shelter at $1,262 per month or LESS. (See the HART Housing Needs Assessment Tool at the University of British Columbia WEBSITE - https://hart.ubc.ca/housing-needs-assessment-tool/.)
SLIDE 2: The tariffs have been said to be an economic and psychological “war”. There is stock market instability and business uncertainty. Eliminate interprovincial barriers with Calgary as an INLAND and HOUSING HUMAN RIGHTS HUB*. Desjardins mentions that “homebuying affordability is unlikely to improve meaningfully over the next two years”. *ALL Canadians have the RIGHT to adequate housing as per the National Housing Strategy Act, 2019.
SLIDE 3: Federal Budget 2022 (including at page 47) said “Housing for Canadians, NOT FOR BIG Corporations”. Prime Minister Carney’s CANADA STRONG – ONE CANADIAN ECONOMY* to lower rents and housing costs seems INCOMPATIBLE with the “Investment Properties” housing model that includes “Mark-to-Market” rental increases to tenants. See also: BUILDING CANADA STRONG: A bold ambitious plan for our future SPEECH FROM THE THRONE to open the first session of the 45th Parliament of Canada – May 27, 2025.
SLIDE 4: Calgary is considered to be the second most vulnerable city to U.S. tariffs. It is NOT business as usual. Organizations and individuals across Canada are stepping up to END THE HOUSING GAME. A Competition Bureau Review is being held into rent-price fixing by landlords using AI software – with public input - see also Competition Bureau seeks feedback on algorithmic pricing and competition - Canada.ca – feedback can be submitted until July 22, 2025.
SLIDE 5: Calgary is NOW experiencing the UNCERTAINTLY, INSTABILITY, UNAFFORDABILITY that renters can feel. Response by ALL levels of government in Canada to the U.S. tariffs MUST include immediate protections for renters and affordable housing.
SLIDE 6: Excitement! “2% Annual rent increase” is stated at the WEBSITE of 5 of Canada’s largest REIT landlords – see https://foraffordable.ca/about . Need this addressed at the House of Commons or HUMA Committee – NOW.
SLIDE 7: Excitement! Some of Canada’s largest landlords have made statements that seem to support implementing a NATIONAL RENT & EVICTION FREEZE for 3 years. Need this addressed at the House of Commons or HUMA Committee – NOW. See Attachment 12a and:
- Attachment 12b: Opinion: A simple plan to help; boost Canada’s affordable housing supply – Special to the Financial Post - Mark Kenney (CAPREIT) and Sam Kolias (Boardwalk REIT) – December 30, 2023.
- Attachment 12c: Road to Budget 2024 must be paved with bold, long-term housing fixes for all Canadians - Sam Kolias (Boardwalk REIT), Jonathan Li (Minto Apartment REIT) and Philip Fraser (Killam Apartment REIT) in Affordable Housing – The Hill Times Policy Briefing – January 31, 2024.
SLIDE 8: Catastrophe! In Calgary, the majority of wage earners are NOT able to afford market housing (pages 3, 4) and food insecurity is growing. Protect renters and affordable housing to foster interprovincial trade and a ONE CANADA, CANADA STRONG economy.
SLIDE 9: Why are rents to EXISTING tenants increasing?
SLIDE 10: Now, more than ever, keep rent increases in the hands of renters to help themselves and to spend to help local small businesses that are the driving force and beating heart of Calgary.
SLIDE 11: In January 2025, I received a rent increase notice for up to $330/month (up to 24% rent increase from my landlord Boardwalk REIT effective May 1, 2025 – AND MORE. See the details. See the rent increase notice with "The Dollars and Sense of Renting" document in Attachment 2.
SLIDE 12: Over 27+ years I have paid my landlord (Boardwalk REIT/Boardwalk Equities Inc.) more than $340,000+ in rental payments at the same 1 Bedroom & Den apartment that I have rented at Boardwalk REIT Skygate Tower - in Ward 8, in Calgary-Buffalo, in Calgary-Centre. I wish to age in place – in peace and dignity. I am a senior of retirement age and I have a disability (post traumatic stress). Over the past 27+ years I have spent much, time, effort, cost and stress – often in the media* - trying to ensure my rent is affordable, the terms of my lease are upheld and my apartment is safe. *See, for example: In Calgary, a builder emphasis on rental puts pressure on existing tenants – The Globe and Mail – January 16, 2020, with my “COMMENT”.
SLIDE 13: “THE SECRET” - Rents apparently do NOT have to increase EVERY year – including for HIGHLY profitable landlords.
SLIDE 14: Landlord licensing – NOW. Is the “Investment Properties” housing model INCREASING COSTS that could be LOWERED with a RENT FREEZE?
SLIDE 15: Fill “VACANT” rental units – including in “OLD” buildings and in the Beltline community.
SLIDE 16: NOT AGAIN!...
SLIDE 17: NOT AGAIN! In 2009, my landlord (Boardwalk REIT) provided me with a Notice of Default (Attachment 5) for NOT paying submetering electricity fees at the time that my lease indicated that power was included in the rent. My landlord backed down with media attention (see Attachment 6a). NOW HALT Boardwalk REIT’s water costing/water submetering to tenant pending public review, legislation, bylaws and information to tenants. See also: Attachments 5, 6a, 6b, 7, 8; Attachment 9a [Boardwalk REIT 2024 ESG Report – including pages 10, 5, 7, 8, 12, 29, 37]; Attachment 9b [Boardwalk REIT Environmental Policy]; Attachment 10 [Sub-meters for Rental Units – Electricity and Natural Gas – Government of Alberta, Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction – September 2023].
SLIDE 18: Learn the lessons of 2007 to 2009.
SLIDE 19: In Calgary, $1,010 per month is the median affordable shelter cost for over 1 million tax filers. Ensure accessible housing.
SLIDE 20: Catastrophe! In Calgary, there is STILL insufficient supply of housing and affordable housing to meet the URGENT demand. IMMEDIATELY: implement independent housing human rights oversight – a “HUB” reporting to Council.
SLIDE 21: The case for NATIONAL RENT & EVICTION FREEZE + LOWER RENT-GOUGED RENTS – AND MORE…
SLIDE 22: …AND MORE…
SLIDES 23, 24, 25, 26: My RECOMMENDATIONS continue…
SLIDE 27: I “Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever.” [2 Chronicles 20: 21 NIV BibleGateway]
All the best,
Anne Landry
Calgary, Alberta