Time to update rent legislation

Housing in Manitoba is becoming increasingly out of reach for too many families.

Renters across Winnipeg, Brandon and rural communities alike are feeling the squeeze. Monthly costs are rising faster than incomes and too many tenants are facing steep rent hikes with little warning or justification.

It’s clear the current rent-control system is no longer working as intended. The Manitoba NDP government must step up and fix it — starting with closing the loophole that allows landlords to sidestep rent control limits under the guise of renovations.

This is not a fringe issue, nor a technical one buried in obscure policy. It is front and centre in the lives of thousands of Manitobans who are being priced out of their homes by a provision that was once meant to preserve housing quality, but is now being used as a tool of displacement.

Under current rules, landlords can apply to the Residential Tenancies Branch for above-guideline rent increases if they complete certain capital upgrades or building improvements. The policy, at its core, was designed to allow landlords to recover the costs of major repairs like roof replacements, heating systems or insulation upgrades — necessary investments in the long-term livability and safety of rental units.

But in recent years, that allowance has been stretched far beyond its original intent. Cosmetic renovations, hallway makeovers, new flooring or lighting fixtures are now routinely used to justify rent hikes that go well above the province’s annual guideline. Some tenants have reported increases of 20 per cent or more, pricing them out of buildings they’ve lived in for decades.

This growing problem didn’t escape notice when the NDP sat in opposition. MLA Adrien Sala, now the finance minister, introduced a private member’s bill while in opposition that aimed to reform rent control. His proposal sought to better define what qualified as legitimate capital expenditures, impose limits on how much and how often rents could be increased above the guideline, and make the process more transparent and accessible to tenants.

That bill never passed (opposition bills rarely do) but the work behind it laid an important foundation. Now that the NDP is in government, the province is in a position to act and should do so without delay.

The policy path is already clear. A reintroduced and strengthened version of Sala’s bill should include a tightened definition of eligible renovations, meaning only essential upgrades that improve the safety, efficiency, or structural integrity of a building — such as plumbing, heating or windows — should qualify.

Annual increases should also be capped to protect tenants from sudden, unaffordable jumps in rent.

These reforms are not radical. They reflect best practices seen in other provinces like Ontario and British Columbia, and they are being actively called for by tenant advocacy groups such as the Right to Housing Coalition, which continues to push for a fairer system.

Landlords will argue that tighter rules will discourage investment in rental properties. But responsible landlords who maintain their buildings and charge fair rents already comply with the spirit of the law.

It is the exploitative operators — those who treat housing as a speculative asset rather than a public necessity — who benefit from the current ambiguity.

Premier Wab Kinew has repeatedly said that housing is a human right. That statement must now be backed by policy. Bringing in strong, clear legislation on rent control — with limits on renovation-based rent hikes — would be a major step toward making good on that promise.

For too long, Manitoba’s renters have been left vulnerable to an uneven playing field. The solution is on the table. The moment to act is now.