PROPOSAL FOR RENTAL PROPERTY BYLAW TO UNDERGO PUBLIC CONSULTATION

“Under the mandate of council’s strategic plan, subsequent discussions related to community safety, community standards and housing challenges and as a result from complaints from the public and general community regarding substandard rental properties, the administration was directed to develop an approach to develop inventory for residential rental properties in the city,” said City Clerk Stacey Hadley.

According to a news release, the proposed Residential Rental Property Registration (RRPR) bylaw would allow for the development of a free registry and “allow the City to offer significant benefits for tenants in these currently non-inventoried rental properties by enhancing the City’s ability to provide services where needed.”

The bylaw would also allow buildings to be inspected for health and safety though noted, “For the purposes of this discussion and the proposed bylaw, this document excludes apartment buildings and multi-unit dwellings with more than four units, as these structures are already covered by separate legislation which regulates the guidelines with respect to health and safety of building occupants.”

Hadley said the proposed bylaw would seek public feedback that would be open to tenants, landlords, members of the community and would be completed by September 2024.

“We’re only seeking the opportunity to go to public consultation to see what this would really – how this would really – impact our rental properties and landlords in the community,” she said.

According to the consultation plan included in the package, beginning next week, city staff will meet with stakeholders to explain what the bylaw entails and will listen to feedback from various associations, First Nation and Métis governments and other stakeholders. While that is happening, there will be an email and online survey sent out that will allow the community at large to share their thoughts or concerns. There will also be opportunities for people to attend zoom meetings or in-person meetings at the North Battleford Public Library.

People may also participate through the city’s website, social media, attend public council meetings, do the online registration, and email info@cityofnb.ca.

According to Coun. Thomas Ironstand, he expects the process will be well received by the public.

“I think we’re going to be encouraged by the amount of positive response we get for trying to clean up some of our rental properties or just knowing how many rental properties there are in our community,” he said.

Coun. Kelli Hawtin added she believed they were going about it the “right way.”

The report said currently, landlords are required to give 24-hours written notice is to be given unless there is a “mutually agreed upon and arranged within a shorter time period.”

Among other additions, this new bylaw would allow an inspector to enter in an emergency without first issuing notice and that it also “supports the purposes of a municipality under Section 4(2) of The Cities Act” which stated in part that a municipality works to “develop and maintain a safe and viable community, to foster economic, social and environmental well-being.”

Hawtin explained being transparent was the way forward and noted that last year when they passed the (Protective Services Cost Recovery) bylaw, “one of biggest concerns was that we couldn’t or didn’t reach out to the rental property owners,” and that she was looking forward to the consultation.

This time the process will be more inclusive.

“Go to the public with an opportunity to say, ‘Is this something that we can understand, are there questions that we need to consider before we can present a bylaw like this,’” she said.