Unfortunately those most at risk of developing severe
complications if exposed to COVID-19 are also most at risk of developing
financial difficulties during this time. If you’re immunocompromised and had to
take leave from a job that is essential or has duties that cannot be performed
at home, this article is for you.
We are not financial experts; however, we did the best we
could to collect pertinent information on the subject to help our community
navigate life during this difficult time. Click through the following options
to find some solutions. If what you’re looking for isn’t on this list, please let
us know, and we will do our best to point you in the right direction.
I’m a Canadian who is immunocompromised, and I am worried about paying my
rent during the COVID-19 crisis:
This month, many Canadians faced paying their rent for the first time under severe financial strain . However, with no end to life in isolation and physical distancing measures, most Canadian provinces have implemented an eviction freeze, as allowing evictions would have negative health impacts during this time.
Rent controls are a provincial
measure, and each province has put together their plans to confront this issue.
Click your province to go directly to the information that pertains to you. We
have put together a list of each provinces’ current stance on rent payments during
the COVID-19 crisis. These measures were taken directly from each province’s
official site, which we have linked too respectively.
New protections are in place for residential and mobile homes
site tenants facing financial hardship due to COVID-19:
Tenants cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent and/or utilities before May 1, 2020.
Rent on residential properties or mobile home sites will not increase while Alberta’s State of Public Health Emergency remains in effect.
Late fees cannot be applied to late rent payments until June 30 and cannot be collected retroactively for this time.
Landlords and tenants need to work together to develop payment plans while COVID-19 is being managed.
Landlords can still file applications and receive orders for possession if the reason for the eviction is unrelated to rent and/or utility payments, or if a tenant refused to negotiate or comply with a payment plan.
New protections are in place for residential and mobile
homes site tenants facing financial hardship due to COVID-19:
Tenants are still expected to pay rent in full and on-time
if possible, however,
The state of emergency temporarily suspends a landlord’s ability to end a tenancy if a tenant does not pay the rent in full and on time
A tenant who has not paid rent could face eviction once the state of emergency is over
For those who are having difficulty covering rent, there is
an option to apply for a temporary rent supplement of $500. This assistance is
only available to low income and moderate-income households. You can find the
application for this supplement here: BC Housing website
Additional Resources for residents of British Columbia:
Tenants facing difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 crisis
should also consider all assistance that is available to them, including:
The Manitoba government is temporarily postponing eviction
hearings, and all rent increases are suspended from April 1- May 31.
However, tenants in Manitoba are still expected to pay their
rent on time and in full. If rent looks like it will be out of reach due to
lack of income, the tenant may still be subject to late fees if previously
stated in the lease agreement.
For tenants who are struggling, the Manitoba government
encourages tenants to reach out to landlords immediately to work out a payment
plan.
Measures announced to help vulnerable Nova Scotians include:
Investing $2.2 million so that every individual and family member on income assistance will receive an additional $50, starting Friday, March 20, to help pay for food, cleaning supplies and personal care items. People do not need to apply.
No tenant can be evicted because their income has been impacted by COVID-19, effective immediately for the next three months.
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation’s
(NWTHC) service levels for its rental housing will be focused only on repairs
related to the health and safety of the unit.
Tenants of these programs are permitted to delay
their payments to Local Housing Organization (LHO) offices until a later date
if they wish.
Evictions from rental housing will not be
carried out unless there is a significant matter, including risk to other
tenants or the NWTHC’s building.
Communications for clients are continuing to be
issued, including posters, website postings, and through community advertising.
Communications include information on where residents and tenants can find out
how to contact the NWTHC.
There has been no official announcement for residents of
Nunavut. For questions, contact the public health office. Below is the contact
information listed on their site:
Headquarters
Department of Health
Government of Nunavut
Box 1000, Station 1000
Iqaluit, NU
X0A 0H0
In a news release, the Ministry of the Attorney
General has granted an order suspending the enforcement of residential
evictions until ordered otherwise by the court.
Tribunals Ontario will not issue any new
eviction orders until further notice. Sheriff’s offices have been asked to
postpone any scheduled enforcement of eviction orders currently set for this
week.
Additional resources for Ontario:
Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.
Prince Edward Island has announced a moratorium
on evictions.
You can apply for the Temporary Rental Assistance
Benefit, linked below
On March 30, 2020, the Commission advised the
public that the Rental Office will not hold hearings for non-payment of rent.
It will only hold hearings for urgent matters, such as serious threats to the
health and safety of tenants and landlords.
On April 1, 2020, the Supreme Court of PEI held
a hearing and a decision was made to support this application to suspend
enforcement of eviction orders until the courts can resume regular operations.
Les effets de toute décision de la Régie du
logement ou de tout jugement d’un tribunal qui autorise la reprise d’un
logement ou l’éviction du locataire d’un logement sont suspendus, de même que
les effets de toute décision ou de tout jugement qui ordonne l’expulsion du
locataire ou de l’occupant d’un logement, sauf si le logement a été reloué par
le locateur avant le 17 mars 2020 et que cette suspension empêcherait le
nouveau locataire de prendre possession des lieux.
Les effets de toute décision de la Régie du
logement ou de tout jugement d’un tribunal qui autorise la reprise d’un
logement ou l’éviction du locataire d’un logement sont suspendus, de même
que les effets de toute décision ou de tout jugement qui ordonne
l’expulsion du locataire ou de l’occupant d’un logement, sauf si le
logement a été reloué par le locateur avant le 17 mars 2020 et que cette
suspension empêcherait le nouveau locataire de prendre possession des lieux.
The Office of Residential Tenancies (ORT) will
not be accepting applications for eviction related to missed or late rent, or
for other non-urgent claims.
Previous eviction orders for non-urgent matters
(i.e., – not related to health and safety concerns) will not be enforced, and
previously scheduled hearings for non-urgent cases have been cancelled as of
today.
The ORT will only be conducting eviction
hearings for urgent situations where there is a potential risk to health or
safety resulting from violence or damage to property.
Hearings may also take place for cases where a
tenant has been locked out by their landlord or where a landlord has been
accused of not providing essential services such as power and water.
The Government of Yukon passed regulations under
the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.
These regulations prevent evictions over the
next 90 days for residential tenants who are self-isolating or unable to pay
their rent on time due to COVID-19.
The regulations will also allow tenants to pay
rent late if they cannot pay it when it is due. This exception will help
support individuals who have been laid off, have a reduced income or due to a
health protection measure.
Landlords cannot evict if the tenant or a member
of their household is subject to a health protection measure.