April 6th, 2013
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Yes, Believe It Or Not, The Manitoba Progressive Conservatives Are Calling For A Welfare Rent Increase
According to a CBC News report, Manitoba Progressive Conservative leader (and leader of the Opposition) Brian Pallister has called for an increase in the rental allowance for tenants on welfare.
There have been lots of changes to how landlords and tenants do business in Manitoba with the changes to how the Residential Tenancy Branch oversees our industry. Now Manitoba’s Opposition party wants the rental allowance should be increased to coincide with the rising cost of living in the province.
PC leader Brian Pallister is calling for an increase to 75% of the median market rental rate.Mr. Pallister explained the rental allowance for people on government assistance in Manitoba hasn’t increase in twenty years.
However, rents have gone up dramatically in the same time frame.He pointed out raising the allow won’t put tenants on welfare on “easy street”, but will allow them to keep some of their month each month for other important expenses. This is a very enlightened and progressive way to help tenants on welfare. It’s an amazing contrast to Ontario where landlords are basically threatened to rent to tenants who don’t qualify and pass the average landlords’ tenant screening policy.
This is a big policy change for Manitoba. In the 1990’s the party called for cuts to government assistance.
The government said there aren’t any plans to increase the rental allowance in the budget scheduled for April 16th.
We at the MLA appreciate the pragmatic approach of the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives. It will make Manitoba a better place to invest in.
Tenants in Winnipeg face vacancy rates near 0%. It is almost impossible for tenants on social assistance to find the kind of good, safe housing each citizen deserves no matter how they pay their rent.
It’s time for the government to recognize the problem tenants on assistance face and follow the policy advice of Mr. Pallister.
We agree that it’s time resources were invested to “Make it possible for people living on social allowance to be able to afford a place to live.”
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