TBEP S2 1 | Housing Affordability

Ripple Effects

  There’s a looming housing affordability crisis here in Canada, affecting more than just home ownership. The escalating housing price has had a ripple effect on renters that feels more like a tsunami, and people are finding it harder to acquire homes even with a middle-class income. How much more is it affecting the lower-income…

TBEP 8 | Evidence Influence Policy

Does Evidence Influence Policy? With Molly Harrington And Norm Helfand

Prince Edward Island, unlike other provinces, has unit-based rent control, with rent being tied to the units instead of the tenant. However, there is no formal mechanism to know what rent was paid by a previous tenant, despite a provincial bill passed to establish one in 2019. Join Cynthia Belaskie and Robbie Brydon as they talk to Darcie Lanthier, a member of the Green Party of Canada and an advocate of rent control. Darcie founded My Old Apartment to help past tenants tell current tenants what the legal maximum rent should be. In less than a year they added 10% of all apartments in Charlottetown to the registry and have helped tenants get back money – up to $20,000 – that was charged above that maximum. Tune in as Darcie discusses the importance of rent control and advocates for tenants on the housing market.

TBEP 7 | Rent Control

Making Rent Control Work

Prince Edward Island, unlike other provinces, has unit-based rent control, with rent being tied to the units instead of the tenant. However, there is no formal mechanism to know what rent was paid by a previous tenant, despite a provincial bill passed to establish one in 2019. Join Cynthia Belaskie and Robbie Brydon as they talk to Darcie Lanthier, a member of the Green Party of Canada and an advocate of rent control. Darcie founded My Old Apartment to help past tenants tell current tenants what the legal maximum rent should be. In less than a year they added 10% of all apartments in Charlottetown to the registry and have helped tenants get back money – up to $20,000 – that was charged above that maximum. Tune in as Darcie discusses the importance of rent control and advocates for tenants on the housing market.

LGBTQ2 Vulnerability In Housing

LGBTQ2 Vulnerability In Housing With Kenna McDowell

How do we solve the issue of LGBTQ2 vulnerability in housing? In this episode, Cynthia Belaskie and Robbie Brydon’s guest is Kenna McDowell, a graduate student in the Human Geography program at the University of Alberta. Kenna explains that expanding the social and affordable housing sector could solve so many issues that queer people experience. Especially because queer people are more likely to experience violence and discrimination in emergency shelters. Join in the conversation to learn more about LGBTQ2 vulnerability in housing and what you can do to help in your little way. Tune in!

TBEP 5 | Eviction Prevention

Preventing Evictions in Community Housing With Damian Collins

One of the main goals of community housing is to provide more affordable homes for those in need and, ultimately, to help them keep those homes. But what are the eviction prevention practices in place that people can rely on when the going gets tough? In today’s episode, Cynthia Belaskie and Robbie Brydon are joined by Dr. Damian Collins of the University of Alberta. Damian is involved in research with Community Housing Canada and recently published the article, “When We Do Evict Them, It’s a Last Resort”: Eviction Prevention in Social and Affordable Housing. He discusses various eviction prevention strategies and draws some comparisons between what’s at stake in the community housing sector versus the private sector when it comes to being evicted. He also breaks down the six major challenges the community housing sector faces, coined as the “areas of inquiry.” Join their discussion as Damian iterates the importance of housing not only for those in need but in the development of society at large.