Alberta Hansard — 9 May 2007, Afternoon sitting (13:00) (Legislature 26, Session 3)

20070509

Alberta — Debates (Hansard)

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 921 *This spelling could not be verified at the time of publication. Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Wednesday, May 9, 2007 1:00 p.m. Date: 07/05/09 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Good afternoon. Let us pray. We give thanks for the bounty of our province, our land, our resources, and our people. We pledge ourselves to act as good stewards on behalf of all Albertans. Amen. Please be seated. head: Introduction of Guests The Speaker: The President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Service Alberta. Mr. Snelgrove: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

When you arrived today, Mr. Speaker, you probably noticed that someone had placed a carnation on your desk as well as on the desk of each and every hon. member. These carnations are courtesy of the Alberta division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. It is a symbol of support for those Albertans who live with multiple sclerosis every day. I stand to recognize that May is MS Awareness Month and invite each of you to show your support by wearing the carnation. I would particularly like to recognize the hon. Premier and his wife, who served as honorary MS Super Cities Walk co-chairs. We are pleased, Mr.

Speaker, to have some representatives with us from the MS Society today. I would ask them to stand as I call their names and at the end be recognized by the Assembly.

Yves Savoie, the national president of the MS Society of Canada; Neil Pierce, the president of the MS Society of Canada, Alberta division; Garry Wheeler, the vice-president of the MS Society of Canada, Alberta division; Judy Gordon, well known to this Assembly, a former member; my good friend Joan Ozirny, a board member of the Alberta division; Darrel Gregory, the director of communications, MS Society of Canada, Alberta division; Adeline Blumer, director, client services, MS Society of Canada, Alberta division; Scott Rattray, director, client services, MS Society of Canada, Edmonton chapter; Michelle Kristinson, director of government relations, MS Society of Canada.

On behalf of all of us thank you so much for what you do, and welcome to the Alberta Assembly. The Speaker: President of the Treasury Board, do you have a second introduction? Mr. Snelgrove: Yes, I do and thank you. Mr. Speaker, I have a group here from the School of Hope. The School of Hope is literally centred all over Alberta, but its head office is in Vermilion. What a terrific name for a school, for surely it is the hope of all of us that we can learn and develop a life we want. Their teacher today is Mrs. Linda Jacejko. Some of the parent helpers are Mrs. Nancy Perozok, Mrs. Christine Hogan, Mrs.

Benita Straughan, Mrs. Hilde Price, Mrs. Ruth Glombick, and Mrs. Harvena Chiacchia, and Mr. Silver Chiacchia. Would they please stand and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture. Mr. Goudreau: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to introduce to you and through you to the members of this Assembly a group of 18 visitors from Bonanza school. You know, this is my lucky week, I be lieve, or two weeks. This is my second group that I get to introduce and in such a short while.

Bonanza school is only a few miles away from Dawson Creek in our neighbouring province, B.C., and certainly they’ve travelled and spent many, many hours on the road to be with us today. They are accompanied by their teacher, Mr. Randy Carlstad, and parent helpers Mr. Hal Keith, Mrs. Joann Eneyedy, Mrs. Bridget Fedorvich. I would ask them to rise and receive the warm traditional welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathcona. Mr. Lougheed: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to introduce to you and through you to the members of the Assembly two folks from EmployAbilities, an organi zation which helps persons with disabilities find work in our community. Seated in the public gallery is the president of the board of EmployAbilities, Mr. John Ough, and the executive director, Iris Saunders. I’d ask them to rise and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a constituent, Charmaine Rose.

Charmaine is also going to experience a rent increase at the end of her lease in August. She lives with her cat, and she will sacrifice whatever she has to in order to stay where they are, but she does feel that it will affect her food budget and her basic necessities. So, Charmaine, if you would please rise and allow us to welcome you to the Alberta Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods. Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my privilege to introduce a constituent today. Her name is Tracey Culley.

She and her husband moved to Alberta from Ontario about seven months ago to seek better opportunities for themselves, but they have not been able to find housing. I’d like to introduce to you and through you to the Assembly Ms Tracey Culley and ask that she stand and receive the warm traditional welcome. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Glenora. Dr. B. Miller: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to introduce to you and through you to all members of the House a group of people from the Edmonton-Glenora constituency – Della Kerfoot, Bernadette Thomas, Cora Davis, William Crowley, Mary Ladou- ceur, Paul Neville, Douglas Klein, Mark Fife, Viola Ellard, Pat Ellard, Sherri Rivest, Ken Armstrong, Braden O’Neill,* Chris Swaren, and John Wodak – and Murray Soroka of the Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre. They ’re all here to meet with the minister of housing about unaffordable rent increases.

They expect to meet with the minister after question period, and I would like to have them all stand and receive the warm welcome of this House. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Rutherford. Mr. R. Miller: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to rise this afternoon and introduce to you and through you a constituent, Dianne Raymer, who is a single lady – and I’m not sure if that’s an offer for those of us in the crowd who may be single or not – living alone. She’s concerned that the next rental increase

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007922 will be the one that forces her out of her current housing situation. She as well is here to hear discussion on the issue of rent controls and hopefully have the opportunity to meet with the minister this afternoon. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-McClung. Mr. Elsalhy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to introduce to you and through you to all members of this House Mr. Eric Lind- strom, a constituent in Edmonton-McClung. Mr. Lindstrom is one of many concerned Albertans who do not understand and cannot believe the housing crisis we’re facing in this province.

He’s here to make sure that his concerns and suggestions are listened to and considered. I, too, suspect that he may even later try to have a word with the housing minister as some of the honourable guests today are trying to do. I invite Eric to please stand, and I call on all members of this House to give him the traditional warm welcome. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Decore. Mr. Bonko: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s a pleasure for me to rise today and introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a group of constituents of mine who are here to tour the Leg., some for the very first time and some haven’t been since Manning was the Premier. I’d like them to rise when I give their names: Mr. John Bizuk, Pauline Bizuk, Garry Larsen, Anne Peterson, Joe Stepa, Lorna Symic, Beebee Chang, Rema Halabi, and Crystal Grunling. Please give them the warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’d like to introduce to you and through you to this Legislature a very dear family friend from Lethbridge who is sitting in the public gallery. Gordon Koppang is a graduate from the University of Lethbridge. He has cerebral palsy and is on AISH. He does not have any family. Gordon is coura- geous and a fighter. He’s a leader in his church, studies, and writes poetry. He gets to the YMCA to work out to fight to keep himself as mobile as possible. He practises preventive health behaviour just as this government has said he should. His rent went up, but so did his luck.

He has finally been accepted into Lethbridge Housing after waiting three years. He will live in 350 square feet. Please, would we welcome him to this House. I would ask him to rise. The Speaker: The hon. leader of the third party. Mr. Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to introduce to you and through you to this Assembly Mike Woolridge and Dorian Deresh. Dorian and Mike are Palace Casino workers entering the 243rd day on the picket line due in part to this govern- ment’s inability to protect Alberta workers through the creation of fair and comprehensive labour legislation.

Mike is a floor attendant and has been there since 2006. Mike hails from Gander, Newfound- land, and has a long history in community activism. He’s been a volunteer firefighter and a first aid instructor. Dorian has been working at the Palace Casino since August of 2001. He works as a custodial staff member in maintenance. They’re both accompanied by UFCW 401 representative Don Crisall. I would now ask that they rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assem- bly. 1:10 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. Mr. Cenaiko: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my honour to introduce to you and through you to members of this Assembly one of Canada’s youngest top-40 entrepreneurs – he was given this award yesterday in Toronto – as well as being a University of Calgary alumnus who just received the award for alumnus of the decade. I’d like to introduce to you Ravinder Minhas, president of Mountain Crest Brewing Company. I’d ask him to please rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I have a second group to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly today. Joining us in the members’ gallery are six members of the Personal Support & Development Network. They are Mr. Joel Heidebrecht, Mr. Core Charrette, Mr. Edward Leslie, Ms Grace Jacobs, Mr. Harley Cardin al, and Ms Jillian Glasser. I would ask them all to please rise and accept the warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Meadowlark. Mr. Tougas: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly a constitu- ent from Edmonton-Meadowlark. Majorie Wolf has recently received a rent increase of $350 a month. She’s on a fixed income and is concerned about how she will make ends meet if rents continue to rise. I ask her to please rise and accept the traditional warm greeting of this Assembly. head: Members’ Statements The Speaker: The hon. Member for Leduc-Beaumont-Devon. Youth Secretariat Mr. Rogers: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As chair of the Youth Secretariat it is my pleasure to sh are with you and this House the important work being done by the Youth Secretariat, which is housed within Alberta Children’s Services, youth strategies branch. Formed in 1999, the Youth Secretariat aims, engages, and empowers youth to provide feedback and advice on proposed strategies, recommendations, and findings on issues related to youth. Most recently, Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Youth Secretariat I’ve had the opportunity to work with the staff of the youth strategies branch on the provincial Youth Advisory Panel, which meets bimonthly.

The Youth Advisory Panel, as many of you know, was established to provide ongoing youth perspective on all work done by the Youth Secretariat. What you might not know is that with the creation of this panel, Alberta is the only province to provide youth with a unique opportunity and the privilege to be involved in a formal way in advising government. Mr. Speaker, youth strategies is hosting the Uniting for Children and Youth Forum at Northlands from May 10 to 11 of this week. Service providers, parents, youth, and experts will join together to share their expertise.

As chair I will be moderating a youth panel, and this panel will provide delegates with the opportunity to hear amazing stories of struggle, resiliency, and success. Mr. Speaker, the secretariat will be recruiting new panel members

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 923 this summer. I would encourage all members who know of excep- tional youth between 16 and 22 who may be interested in contribut- ing to this vital work to contact me or Mr. David French of youth strategies in the Ministry of Children’s Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathcona. Employment for Persons with Disabilities Mr. Lougheed: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you all know, Al- berta’s booming economy has resulted in a labour shortage in almost all fields of endeavour.

I know that employers, business associa- tions, our government, and others are working hard to fill the gaps that exist. However, there is one labour pool of skill, talent, and desire right here in Alberta that remains undervalued and underutil- ized. I’m talking about persons with disabilities. The most recent statistics we have show that in 2001 52 per cent of persons with disabilities in Alberta were working compared to 79 per cent of persons without disabilities. This means that up to tens of thousands of Albertans might be working if given the right opportunity and support.

I know from speaking to people across the province that there has not been much change since 2001, not enough change to be sure. The gap remains. For the most part, it exists because employers lack an appreciation of what persons with disabilities can do. There is also some resistance to provide suitable accommodation in the workplace. For the most part, these barriers exist because of a lack of education and understanding. For example, most employers do not know that 80 per cent of job-related accommodation for persons with disabilities costs less than $500.

Many organizations are working to improve career and employ- ment support for persons with disabilities, including Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry. One community organiza- tion that I would like to recognize is EmployAbilities, an Edmonton- based, nonprofit organization who launched a television awareness campaign in March. The ads generated a lot of interest and do an effective job of helping to tear down walls that prevent persons with disabilities from getting and keeping jobs. At a time when Alberta is desperate for workers, it’s in our best interest to accommodate all Albertans who want to work.

Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Currie. Affordable Housing Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back in 1998, from June 15 to 18, a housing symposium was held in Edmonton to address the pressing need for more affordable housing for families, senior citizens, and Albertans with special needs. That was nine years ago. We should have seen this affordable housing crisis coming. For reasons unknown to me we didn’t.

Had we seen it coming and had we acted on it nine years ago or five years ago or even three years ago, we would probably not have to be talking about what has been the main topic of conversation in this House and across this province for the last several days: rent controls, rent guidelines, temporary rent regulations. Call them what you will.

Rent regulations, protection for renters from outrageous rent increases, are, in our view on this side of the House, now probably inevitable if we are going to allow people to keep the roofs they have over their heads now while we set about the long process of building more roofs over people’s heads. But they are only one piece of the puzzle, and that really needs to be stressed, Mr. Speaker, because whether it’s rent regulations or any other single solution to the affordable housing crisis, we need not, we must not get hung up on that solution as the one and only solution.

What we need to do is come at this with a whole basket of solutions, tackle this simultaneously on a number of different fronts – short term, medium term, long term, and sustainable – otherwise, we’re just going to be pouring more money down the drain, and at the end of five years we won’t be any further ahead. But key to this is the province demonstrating a firm and consistent and continuous commitment, something this government has not done yet and which I urge them to get their heads around doing, a continuous commit- ment to solve the affordable housing crisis until it is solved because, Mr.

Speaker, everybody needs a home. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Livingstone-Macleod. Stavely Indoor Professional Rodeo Mr. Coutts: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While some Alberta communities search for new and innovative ways of promoting economic development or events, the people of Stavely and district have spent the last 50 years perfecting an exciting event reflecting their heritage.

The first professional indoor rodeo in Canada was held in Stavely, Alberta, over 50 years ago, and this last Sunday myself; the Minister of Agriculture and Food, the MLA for Highwood; and the Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry, the MLA for Sherwood Park, who proudly calls Stavely home, attended the event. The Stavely Indoor Pro Rodeo evolved by the collective vision of three original families from this famous ranching district. The Schlosher, Cochlan, and Streeter families began the event, and today descendants of those families still volunteer their time to make the event a roaring success.

Kim Cochlan chairs the pro rodeo committee, and Greg Schlosher, a former two-time Canadian pro rodeo champion, still runs the infield. They are guided by the very active Stavely agricultural society led by Kelly Hall. With up to 50 seasoned volunteers the community event goes off like clockwork. Arena announcer Les McIntyre, Dennis the rodeo clown, the professional cowboys and cowgirls doing their events keep the audience of 1,700 people riveted to their seats with excitement and humour.

Congratulations must go to the entire community of Stavely and district, the Stavely agricultural society, and the event sponsors for over 50 years of community spirit. When it comes to defining the words volunteerism, dedication, innovation, pride, and fun, it can be summed up by the phrase: Stavely annual pro rodeo, first weekend of May 2008. Come and enjoy the heritage and the tradition. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lesser Slave Lake. 1:20 Esquao Awards for Aboriginal Women Ms Calahasen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On Thursday, May 3, thousands of aboriginal Albertans came together to celebrate Alberta’s aboriginal women’s achievements at the Esquao awards held in Edmonton. These awards are the brainchild of Muriel Stanley Venne, president of IAAW, who believed that aboriginal women needed to be recognized for their contributions to society. I was privileged to attend this gala and be the co-master of ceremo- nies with Andy Popko, vice-president aboriginal relations, EnCana. I’d like to thank the many colleagues from all parties of this House who attended.

Twenty exceptional aboriginal women who have made notable achievements in the categories of science and technology, leader-

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007924 ship, justice, health and medicine, community involvement, culture, education, business, social services and advocacy were recognized. These tremendous women have demonstrated the value of having a tenacious work ethic and an ambition for success. In their many capacities they have provided indelible leadership for their commu- nities and this province. They have served as exceptional role models for all those who struggle to overcome societal adversities.

These aboriginal women are part of a broader vision for their communities, a vision that promotes tolerance, inclusion, dignity, and respect. They have faced their challenges with pride, intelli- gence, and confidence, ultimately leading them to excel beyond their own expectations. Their respective successes represent a positive future, especially for young aboriginal people who look to these women for guidance and to be directed by their strength and perseverance. As an aboriginal woman, Mr.

Speaker, I am proud that we are recognized in the matrilineal and matriarchal society that’s being revived in our aboriginal communities. Congratulations to the many women: Mary Kappo, Lena Bum- stead, Doreen Lameman, Barbara Courtorielle, Betty Bastien, Ruby Lacombe, Claudette Rain, Margaret Cardinal, Sokaymoh Frederick, Alma Desjarlais, Marion LaRat, Claudia Simpson, Pauline Thomp- son, Doris Courtorille, Lucille Cook, Doreen Cardinal, Susan Cardinal Lamouche, Leigh Ann Houle, Michelle Morin, Laverne Arcand, Laura McLaughlin, and to the circle of honour recipient, Audrey Poitras.

Your innovative spirits have had and will have momentous impacts on our community. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Official Gemstone of Lethbridge: Ammolite Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a proud time for me to represent my constituency of Lethbridge-East because recently Lethbridge became part of a rare minority of cities by naming its official gemstone, ammolite. The people of Lethbridge are already proud of their city’s unique plant and wildlife, and now they have added the fossil ammolite to be the allure of Lethbridge.

Ammolite was first discovered in southern Alberta in the early 1970s and given its official gemstone status in 1981. It is formed from ammonites, an ancient marine fossil. Although ammonites are found around the globe, it is only in southern Alberta that this deposit produces the gemstone ammolite. Ammolite is mined by Korite International in the St. Mary River, just south of Lethbridge, and coveted around the world. The gemstone is multicoloured, having a complete spectrum of colours in its purest form.

This beautiful rarity will no doubt gain Lethbridge and Alberta greater recognition throughout the world for its natural wonders. I would like to congratulate the city of Lethbridge on its adoption of ammolite into its culture, and I would like to thank Lethbridge city council for the unanimous decision which will bring attention and praise to an already well-deserving city. head: Presenting Petitions The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-McClung. Mr. Elsalhy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am continuing with the tabling of petitions from concerned Albertans throughout the province, this time 469 signatures.

The petitions reads:

Whereas the ongoing rent affordability crisis is contributing to Alberta’s worsening homelessness situation, we, the undersigned residents . . . hereby petition the Legislative Assembly to urge the [government] to take immediate, meaningful measures to help low- income and fixed-income Albertans, Albertans with disabilities and those who are hard-to-house maintain their places of residence and cope with the escalating and frequent increases in their monthly rental costs. Thank you. head: Notices of Motions The Speaker: The hon. Deputy Government House Leader. Mr. Renner: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise pursuant to Standing Order 34(3.1) to advise the House that we will be accepting written questions 12, 13, and 14. I further give notice that on Monday, May 14, 2007, motions for returns 5 and 6 will be dealt with . Motion for Return 4 will stand and retain its place on the Order Paper. There being no additional written questions appearing on the Order Paper, there are none to stand and retain their places. head: Tabling Returns and Reports The Speaker: The hon. Member for Cardston-Taber-Warner. Mr. Hinman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table the appropriate number of copies of an

article from the Calgary Herald. It has an amazing resemblance to a speech the other day in the House. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Ellerslie. Mr. Agnihotri: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m tabling five copies of an e-mail that I received from my constituent Charlynn Cox, who is concerned about proposed changes to the tenants and landlord act. Her townhouse is changing ownership. She had a rent increase in March of this year. Now she’s afraid of becoming homeless if new owners bring in a new tenant at a higher rent. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. I have three tablings today on behalf of Calgarians Wayne Llewellyn and Robert Gagne, who between them have over 50 years of property assessment expertise. They are concerned about sections of Bill 26 which take the appeal process out of legislation and hide it in ministerial discretionary regulations. The first tabling is entitled Standard on Assessment Appeal, which was approved in 2001 by the International Association of Assessing Officers. My second tabling is entitled Report and Recommendations to the Minister of Municipal Affairs on Equalized Assessment in Alberta.

My third tabling is entitled Getting It Right, an investigation into the transparency of the property assessment process and the integrity and efficiency of decision-making. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-McClung. Mr. Elsalhy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have three tablings. The first one is a letter received Ap ril 26 from a constituent, Eric Lindstrom, who’s here today, de tailing his many concerns with respect to the current housing affordability crisis and offering suggestions for possible solutions.

Eric mentions rent control, rent allowances, designated housing, and the government still playing a role to help people.

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 925 The second one is another Edmonton-McClung constituent, 87- year-old Mrs. Mary Swain. She urges the Premier to rethink his opposition to rent controls and says that she understands why he may not want to call an election right now because many unhappy people will likely not support his party. Her rent is going up to $774 for a one-bedroom apartment, and she can’t afford it. The third, Mr. Speaker, the last one, is again from Mary Swain, a copy of the your rent is past due, submit payment now notice which her landlord uses to notify tenants that they’re late paying.

She says the bright red notice is customarily placed on people’s mailboxes. She finds it offensive, and it’s meant to be an embarrassment, not a means to collect payment. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Calder. Mr. Eggen: Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I’m tabling the appropriate amount of copies of a letter sent to the Minister of Service Alberta from Margaret Linklater from Lacombe. She’s appalled by the minister’s response to rent controls and feels ashamed. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods. Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two letters to table today.

The first is from a constituent of Edmonton-Mill Woods, Glenda Murphy, explaining in detail a major concern regarding the proposed seismic testing slated to happen this summer on Marie Lake in the Cold Lake region. The second letter is from Maxine and Arnold Jol of Spruce Grove. It’s a strong request for support for children with special needs by not cutting funding to those children who r eceive specialized services through the family supports for children with disabilities and the multidisciplinary review board. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Mr. MacDonald: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I have one tabling today. It’s a letter that I received from the hon. Minister of Finance dated March 15, 2007, and it’s regarding the Government Fees and Charges Review Act. Thank you. head: Oral Question Period The Speaker: First Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Rent Supplement Programs Dr. Taft: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week we’ve raised concerns about double standards in public policy when it comes to affordable housing. Well, here’s another one.

Out-of-town MLAs receive $1,750 a month in accommodation allowance to cover the costs of housing in Edmonton, and that allowance has risen $450 a month in just the past two years. My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier understand the anger of Albertans when they see that he and almost all of his ministers receive $1,750 a month in accommo- dation allowance but are offering nothing close to that to Albertans who are facing a rental crisis? Why the double standard? 1:30 Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, time and time again I got up in this House and I said: examining all the evidence that’s been given to this government caucus, rent controls are not a magic bullet, simply said. Dr. Taft: Well, I imagine people noticed that that was complete avoidance of my question. The Premier and his ministers keep saying that Albertans facing unaffordable rent hikes should be patient and should wait for the situation to resolve itself.

It’s easy, of course, for the Premier to say when he gets $1,750 a month in taxpayer-funded accommodation allowance, but it’s not so easy for the many Albertans facing huge rent increases. Again to the Premier: does the Premier think it’s fair that out-of-town MLAs receive $1,750 a month in accommodation allowance but don’t provide anything like the same benefits to Albertans facing a rental crisis? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. leader is talking about rent controls. Again I have to repeat: rent controls will only make the situation worse.

We will have less housing in the market- place by following that kind of policy that they’re trying to push forward in this House. Dr. Taft: Well, this March 19, just this spring, the Premier indicated in this Assembly that he would be willing to debate me “any time, anywhere” on the water transfer from the Red Deer River to Balzac. I’m happy to take the Premier up on his offer. Maybe we can undertake that debate during the Drumheller-Stettler by-election. Now I’d like to return the challenge to the Premier. Will the Premier agree to a public debate on the affordable housing crisis? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, one of the few leadership candidates that recognized that housing was an issue. We made it a priority for this government, and there will be significant debate tonight and tomorrow with respect to how we deal with the critical issue. Mr. Speaker, in the first three months of this year over 11,000 people came to Alberta. That’s significant. Where did they come from? Net migration from other provinces: the province that lost the most was Ontario. Guess what the label of that government is? And you know what? They have rent controls in place. The Speaker: Second Official Opposition main question. The hon.

Leader of the Official Opposition. [some applause] Dr. Taft: Thank you. I appreciate that, everybody. Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, though the affordable housing crisis has been building for a long, long time, this government seems to have been caught off guard. Now it seems to be making up policy on the fly. I guess it’s their tradition. It has promised millions in programs and even handed out phone numbers for the public to call, but nothing concrete seems to be in place.

To the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: what is the income cut-off level for people to qualify for the recently announced rental supplement program? Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr. Speaker, I want to say to the hon. member that this government and our Premier do take very seriously those in need. In fact, yesterday we had 25 people that came to this Legisla- ture. We met with those individuals. Of the 25 people, seven individuals stayed to talk to our staff about eligib ility for support, and I’m happy to say that four did qualify. The Speaker: The hon. leader. Dr. Taft: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

People working full time at $15

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007926 an hour earn a gross income of about $2,400 a month. After paying taxes, health care premiums, food, transportation, and other ex- penses, not much is left when they face a big rent increase. To the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: what happens to the many, many working poor who are above the income cut-off but are still facing huge rent increases? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, that whole area of what we do for people who are in dire circumstances comes to my ministry.

We have several examples of issues that we have dealt with in a very positive way, dealing with them on an individual basis. Let me talk to you about the couple in their 50s who relocated from British Columbia. He came here because he had a disability. He wanted support. The wife couldn’t work because she had to stay home and look after him. The rent was $800 a month, and they were in arrears by one month.

We issued immediately a thousand dollars in emergency funds with the director’s approval, income support for May, job search support for the wife arranged by our department, found a job, made a placement, and found them a place to live. Dr. Taft: Well, we can play that game, too, now. Mr. Speaker, a poll in today’s Calgary Herald indicated that 85 per cent of respondents are not confident that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing can deal with landlords who impose excessive rent increases. Albertans want answers and details on government programs, not just vague assurances.

To the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: can the minister give eligibility details for the housing crisis programs? For example, do people have to sell their cars? Do they have to drain all their savings? Do they have to be destitute? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, once again, that is entirely within my purview. A man came to us. He felt that he might have to sell his truck in order to pay for his rent. We can bridge that program. We can make sure that he keeps his truck, which he needs for the job. We also provided him support so he wouldn’t be evicted. Mr.

Speaker, I have several cases of things that we deal with on a day-to-day basis, and I would be very pleased to table them. The Speaker: Third Official Opposition main question. The hon. Member for Edmonton-Glenora. Dr. B. Miller: Mr. Speaker, thank you. The worth of a society can be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable people. This is advice that Alberta’s Conservative government needs to take to heart. Cora Davis and William Crowley are two constituents of mine seated in the public gallery today. Both rely on meagre AISH payments to make ends meet.

Recently Cora and William each received a $300 rent increase. Both Cora and William believe that their landlord is gouging them because there’s no way someone on AISH can afford an extra $3,600 a year. To the minister of munici- pal affairs: since you have adopted as your strategy meeting with gouging landlords, will you meet with Cora and William today and also meet with their landlord? Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, I’d like to defer to the minister of seniors. Mr. Melchin: Mr.

Speaker, this government has acted quite progressively over the past years about increasing the monthly rate, acknowledging very much the part that the stakeholders have worked for some time about: how do you help those on AISH, the assured income for the severely handicapped? It’s in response to that that we have seen over the last three years substantial increases even to those payments, about $200 a month. With respect to other benefits they might receive, they also qualify, in response, to all the other supports and assistance that are available through all of our departments. Dr. B.

Miller: Bernadette Thomas is also an AISH recipient on a fixed income of $1,000 a month. She just r eceived notice that her apartment building is being converted to condos, and she has to begin to search for a new apartment. After completing a difficult application process with Capital Region Housing, she has discovered that no landlords will accept her because they feel she is too high a risk. One landlord flat out told her that he doesn’t believe this government will increase her benefit levels to keep up with rent increases.

So to the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports: will you go on public record today and assure AISH recipients and landlords that AISH benefits will keep up with the increasing rents? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, one beautiful thing about our government is that we don’t put labels on people and differentiate on the basis of what they’ve got in terms of a medical condition.

If they are low income, if they face eviction, if they are pressured because of various things, including a medical condition – I have a medical condition here that I could cite: severe pain, lower back problems, carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists, arthritis in his right shoulder, arterial blood clot in his left knee, and migraine headaches – we find these people placements. We look after them, whether they’re on AISH, whether they are people like myself who might be down on their luck. We look after everybody. 1:40 The Speaker: The hon. member. Dr. B. Miller: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Unfortunately, Berna- dette’s problems do not end here. Ms Thomas also suffers from fibromyalgia, which is a painful and debilitating disease. The intensity of Bernadette’s symptoms are affected by her environment. For example, Bernadette must carefully choose an apartment with the right conditions. Bernadette is just one example of thousands of people in our province who have special needs. It’s not only affordable housing; it’s appropriate housing that is their concern.

To the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports: can he assure people like Bernadette – and Bernadette is up here in the public gallery – that she can find appropriate housing given her needs? Who is helping her? Mr. Melchin: Mr. Speaker, those with severe handicaps: we do a lot to continue to work with them individually. If they wish, there’s an AISH phone hotline where they can apply for AISH. We do work with individuals. Everyone has a unique circumstance. It’s in that way that we will continue to treat them. The Speaker: The leader of the third party. Rental Starts Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker. Well, the government certainly appears to have circled the wagons today. Nevertheless, I have with me today a copy of the Boardwalk Rental Communities 2006 annual report, appropriately entitled Opportunity Knocks. It indicates in this particular report that “rental starts have fallen, particularly in Edmonton, which will contribute to a further tightening of the market through 2007 as demand exceeds supply.” In their quarterly statement they say that the revenue is up about 11

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 927 per cent in Edmonton, 17 per cent in Calgary, and 16.3 in the rest of Alberta. To the Premier: what justifies the rent increases that are producing this increase in revenue for this megalandlord? Mr. Snelgrove: This is a very, very typical approach to dream up what is in the intent – the simple fact is that Boardwalk is a very responsible landlord. Their policy is to increase the rent a maximum of $75 twice a year. They also have an opportunity to assist the tenants who are facing challenges.

It is really unfortunate that the leader of the third party wants to stand here and malign a company which in many, many cases is working very hard to maintain a good relationship with their tenants. So to bring in the allegations that they’re unscrupulous landlords – and there are, but they’re not Boardwalk. The Speaker: We’re dealing with questions of government policy here, not with policies of individual companies. So let’s try and put this in the context in which question period is meant to be. The hon. leader. Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Well, listening to the President of the Treasury Board, it’s clearly government policy to defend landlords and not tenants. It’s pretty clear to me from reading the annual report that they ex pect rents to continue to rise. In fact, they state clearly here that they won’t build any more units until rents for a two-bedroom apartment reach $1, 600 a month. I want to ask the Premier: is it government policy to allow that to happen? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, of 210,000 – 210,000 – housing starts in Canada more than 51,000, close to 52,000 were here in the province of Alberta, more than 25 per cent in a province of only 3.3 million people. So obviously the policy is working. Mr. Mason: Mr. Speaker, the Premier would like us to believe that the increase that’s taking place in housing is coming here in Alberta, but it’s not.

Again from the report it says: “Rental starts have fallen” in Alberta, which does not have rent guidelines, “particularly in Edmonton, which will contribute to a further tightening of the market through 2007 as demand exceeds supply.” So rental starts have fallen, Mr. Premier, unlike Ontario, where they’re rising dramatically, and it has rent guidelines. When will you be honest with the people of Alberta and tell them the truth; that rent guidelines do not interfere w ith the market; they just protect tenants? Mr.

Stelmach: Actually, the leader of the third party is not very aware of the actual policy in Ontario, and we can debate that at a different time. [interjections] Oh, because you’re wrong, and before you get your information, don’t let me embarrass you in the House with wrong information. However, Mr. Speaker, one thing we should remember is that as people move out from rental units into housing, you know, houses that they purchase on their own, it frees up more rental units in this province. So it’s finding the balance.

It’s not only building low- income rental units in the province of Alberta; it’s individual housing and looking also for housing for seniors and those that require that little additional care from the government that’s very compassionate and caring about Albertans. The Speaker: The hon. Member for West-Yellowhead, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods. Forest Sustainability Mr. Strang: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Last week at an annual general meeting a major paper product company denounced the forest practices in Alberta.

My first question is to the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. Do you agree with the charges that the Alberta boreal forests face destruction from logging? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Dr. Morton: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely not. I do not agree with that opinion at all. In fact, rather than being destroyed, Alberta’s forests are being renewed and strengthened by harvesting.

I want this House to know and all Albertans to know that for every tree that’s cut in this province, four new ones are planted every year, and it’s the replanted forests, the new forests, that bring the age balance that protects us against the real threats to our forest, which are pine beetle infestation and forest fire. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Strang: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My first supple- mentary question is to the same minister.

What is your response to the protesters’ calls for sustainable forests in Alberta for the long- term benefit of communities, industry, and forest product customers? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Dr. Morton: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, I certainly agree with that statement that sustainable fore st management is the best thing not just for the companies but for communities and the forest, and that’s why in this province we require sustainable practice by law. As I said before, for every tree that’s cut, four new ones are planted. Forestry companies are required to plan over a hundred-year period.

If that’s not sustainability, I don’t know what is. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Strang: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My second supplementary question is to the same minister. How do you respond to the criticism that the Alberta government must set aside more protected areas in the forest for the benefit of wild species and their habitat? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Dr. Morton: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Protected areas are an important part of conserving our wildlife, and that’s why Alberta is a leader in Canada in doing this.

Thanks to Special Places 2000 12 per cent of this province is protected in various ways. But simply adding more protected areas is not the solution. The solution is a balanced land use. Albertans want balance between recreation, economic development, and environmental goods. That’s why we have a land-use framework that I announced last week. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods, followed by the hon. Member for Strathcona. Rent Supplement Programs (continued) Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Dramatic increases in the

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007928 cost of housing mean that parents must work harder or children must learn to go without. While Alberta’s housing crisis affects everyone, some people are more vulnerable than others. Lone-parent families may find themselves in a vicious cycle because a parent needs to work extra shifts in order to afford rising housing costs but cannot afford the child care that’s available if they can even find it. To the Premier: what steps is your government taking to meet this increased demand from shift workers and lone parents who need to work longer hours to pay their rent?

Ms Evans: I could cite another Edmonton scenario. A mother of three left an abusive situation in Saskatchewan. She stayed the maximum 21 days in the shelter but still had no housing. She was provided hotel accommodation through income support for a couple of weeks until she found housing. One she found was over the core shelter rate of $524 by $446, so she got a damage deposit of $524, and while she was able to pay the additional damage deposit, we have the Canada child tax benefit, who also provided her funding for the additional cost for the rent.

This is another example of how we would face that situation. 1:50 The Speaker: The hon. member. Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This housing crisis has already pushed many families to the breaking point. A quick phone call to the Capital Region Housing Corporation confirms that the wait-list for social housing in Edmonton is already over 24 months and contains more than 2,500 individuals and families. When we asked what families should do while they are waiting, we learned that most have no option but to tough it out.

To the Premier: how can you ensure that children in these families will not be forced to go without proper nutrition, school supplies, or adequate care while their families tough it out for 24 months or more? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, I do care. I think this caucus cares. I think that we have illustrated that not only by the supports we’ve provided families for children with disabilities. There is no place in Canada that provides children as many supports as we do in this province. Our supplementary benefits for children lead the country.

The family that has problems with housing, if they have problems providing for their children, their dental work, their eye exams, school books, anything, they simply have to come to one of our 59 centres, and we will look after them on an individual basis. We’ll assess their needs, and we’ll follo w up, linking them in with the programs that best serve them. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituent Tracey Culley is seated in the gallery today. She suffers from MS and is confined to a wheelchair. She and her husband moved to Alberta about one year ago.

Although her husband quickly found a great job, they are still unable to find anywhere to live. The fact that Tracey requires affordable and accessible housing makes finding a home even more difficult. To the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The woefully inadequate provisions of the residential mobility access program mean that Tracey is on her own to find housing that she can afford and then make it accessible. Is there anything you can tell her today that will alleviate her feelings of hopelessness and despair? Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr.

Speaker, I want to say that today in room 512 we have my staff there and available for anybody that is here in case they have some questions in regard to qualifying for support. I would also like to say that we will have somebody on the fourth floor outside of the entrance to the gallery in case those individuals are not exactly sure where 512 is, to assist them. This is a concern for all of us in this House, and we need to work together to solve it. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathcona, followed by the hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Employment for Persons with Disabilities Mr. Lougheed: Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. My first question is to the Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry. Recent public service announcements have highlighted Alberta’s untapped resource and attracted considerable positive interest from Albertans with disabilities and employers. Can the minister tell us how her ministry is going to use this heightened awareness to help more Albertans living with disabilities move into the labour market and to get jobs? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased with many employers that are stepping up to the plate and providing opportunities for people with disabilities to receive jobs.

I have heard of people working in retail industries that previously would never have had that opportunity. We have industry liaison specialists in the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Industry who work directly with employers and try and link people who need jobs with willing employers to help them not only in receiving an opportunity to work but in adapting work conditions in a way that’s suitable for them and work to retain those people in those positions for as long as possible. We have contracts throughout the province to enable people with disabilities to work. Mr. Lougheed: Mr.

Speaker, my second question, also to the same minister. There are many barriers to employment that face persons with disabilities. These include things like employer attitudes and perceptions, workplace accommodation, and also transportation. What is the minister doing to reduce those barriers to employment for persons with disabilities? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, we’ve spent nine and a half million dollars. We provide that this year for disability-related employment supports to help Albertans overcome barriers. We pay for things like ramps to access the work site, computers to help people communicate.

We adjust their keyboards in a way that’s appropriate. We provide tutors and sign language interpreters. There are many programs that we provide to assist employers in making sure that the workplace is safe and a comfortable place for people with disabilities. Mr. Lougheed: Mr. Speaker, my last question. To the minister responsible for the personnel administration office: what is the government of Alberta doing to show employer leadership for employment for persons with disabilities? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Snelgrove: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I need to say that precious few people in this Assembly have done more than the hon. Member for Strathcona to promote awareness for people with disabilities in Alberta, so it truly is my honour to respond to that question. The provincial government generally hires on merit. We use a competitive process to select the most suitable candidate for

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 929 positions that are available ba sed on education and skills. We provide an equal and fair opportunity to everyone who has applied for a job with the Alberta public se rvice, but to ensure that the disabled have the opportunity, we’ve come up with several policy things. The job website has links to information resources that are intended for people with disabilities who are pursuing employment. We also text size our job website ads, and they can be enlarged. The Speaker: I think we have to move on now. The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I believe that if people will read Hansard, I, too, have stood up many, many times and worked for people with developmental disabilities. Temporary Rent Regulation Ms Pastoor: Gordon Koppang has come to Edmonton today to show his support for a temporary cap on rent increases. Gor don is on AISH and was spending 40 per cent of his income on accommoda- tions. After being on a wait-list for three years, he has finally found an affordable place to live. To the minister of housing. Gordon has come all this way to advocate for himself and all other Albertans on fixed incomes who are truly struggling to pay their rent.

Why is the government forcing people like Gordon to advocate for something as simple as an affordable and appropriate place to live in this province that is so rich? Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that this Premier and this government very much are concerned about individuals that have trying situations, especially in housing. The member made mention that this individual has travelled all this way. I again would like to say that we very much would invite him to come up to room 512 to talk to our staff. It’s two floors above where we’re at right now.

Our staff will meet the individuals and take them to 512. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Pastoor: Thank you. The development of affordable rental units is not keeping up with the demand. There are 400 people on a waiting list for affordable housing in Lethbridge alone. What suggestions does the minister have for these Albertans who need a home now? They can’t wait for two years for the new units. Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr. Speaker, first of all, there was $195 million allocated to municipalities for those municipalities to look at the needs of their municipality, the needs that they feel are the most critical.

They can use that money in rent supplements. They can use it in secondary suites. They can use it in building new units. But also, I want to share that our government is providing $33 million for a rent supplement program at this time and an addition of $14.3 million, which should add, you know, approximately 2,000 units. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, millions and millions and millions of dollars. What I really want to know are the numbers of units and the numbers of people that have been helped.

Why did the government choose to ignore many recommendations made to the Affordable Housing Task Force when they visited Lethbridge, recommendations that would help prevent a housing crisis in southern Alberta? 2:00 Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr. Speaker, that is a good question because the rental supplement helps between, I believe, 4,500 and 5,000 people. If the hon. member had heard what I just said, the additional funding – and I know the numbers don’t mean anything, but they do provide support for additional rent supplements.

In this case I did say in the last answer that we predict it’ll help approximately 2,000 additional units. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Drayton Valley-Calmar, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Land Agents Rev. Abbott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My first question is to the Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry. A recent court case in Vegreville highlighted some concerns about the Land Agents Licensing Act, particularly regarding people who charge a fee for negotiating land access on behalf of landowners.

Given that a judge ruled that this law should be changed, what is the government doing to address the courts’ and rural Alberta’s concerns over this legislation? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Ms Evans: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me review some of the recent events that have made this an issue. The Land Agents Licensing Act requires a person to hold a land agent’s licence when negotiating on behalf of a company or when charging a fee for advising a landowner in negotiation. When a person does not charge a fee for giving advice, then in fact a land agent licence is not needed.

I know that several Albertans have expressed a concern about issues with this certain part of legislation, and I know that the hon. member is referencing a r ecent court case that was appealed. While this matter is before the courts, I will not discuss the particu- lars of that case but just simply say that we await the appeal decision. The Speaker: The hon. member. Rev. Abbott: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I only have one supplemental, so I want to use it to ask the minister a clear and pointed question. Will you be amending legislation to allow landowners to choose who they want to represent them?

Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, as I’ve said before, nothing will be done with this legislation until the appeal has been completed. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview. Temporary Rent Regulation (continued) Ms Blakeman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The role of a government is to facilitate the conditions that create opportunities for citizens and communities to prosper.

The opportunities for low-income Alber- tans, people on AISH, and seniors to have a safe, affordable rental home are being stifled by this government’s failure to protect renters from being gouged. My questions are to the minister of housing. A senior living in Edmonton-Centre will no longer be able to retire as planned because of a $265 a month rent increase that she’s facing, and Mary Ladouceur from Edmonton-Glenora, who is here today, faces a similar situation. Mr. Minister, does the price of prosperity

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007930 for Alberta mean seniors having to work well past the age of retirement so that they can afford a place to live? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, once again, what I’m hearing is a hardship case where somebody is really concerned, and I think we all share the concern of somebody who may be pressured and may not be able to be comfortable. Let me talk about a mother with three children, staying at the Sheriff King Home in Calgary as a result of leaving an abusive relationship. She found rental accommodation, and her rent was $1,290 a month.

She was obviously not able to accommodate that, but with help from our department of a thousand dollars as a start-up allowance and an additional amount of $300, we were able to help her. I have consulted with the directors through our staff. We have many examples of this kind of case where we can and will help. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Blakeman: Thank you. Again to the minister of housing. My constituent Jennifer, whose rent increased by $245 a month, or 44 per cent, in the last year, now has to work two jobs to pay for a modest one-bedroom apartment.

Does the minister discount her situation as the price of prosperity? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, once again, we look after people who have issues with affordability problems that relate to their lives, like the single, 52-year-old gentleman with a deteriorating eye condition that had rendered him legally blind. As a journeyman carpenter he had to take time off work to undergo lens replacement and eye surgery. His postoperative prognosis was very good, and he fully expected to return to work. Obviously, the cases they compare and want to listen to are their own. They’re not interested in these other people.

I can’t believe it. I’m interested in all Albertans. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much. Again to the minister of housing. Many of my constituents who are on AISH are being forced to spend most of their income on rent, leaving little left for food, clothing, transportation, and costs associated with having a disability. Charmaine, who is here today, is facing a $300 rent increase. Will the minister of housing finally admit that a temporary cap on rent increases is essential to ensure that Alberta’s most vulnerable people can find a place to live? Ms Evans: Mr.

Speaker, a request for giving some affordable accommodation should come to me, not a request about how to deal with capping or anything else. When people are in need, when people are in crisis, this government and the previous ministry of human resources and employment have a track record of support of almost $100 million to provide housing supports for over 55,000 Albertans, and above that, we provide supports for 20,000 learners. So we provide supports for people in crisis, and we will continue to do so. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, followed by the hon.

Member for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. Homeless and Eviction Prevention Fund Mr. Martin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government has taken a couple of good ideas from the Affordable Housing Task Force, including increasing the rent supplement program and establishing a homeless and evictions fund, but as usual their rigid ideology gets in the way of doing the complete job. It’s clear that without rent stability or guidelines that money is going to end up in the pockets of the landlords. My question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Doesn’t this minist er see that these taxpayer-paid programs will end up in the pockets of the landlords rather than helping the people they’re supposed to help? Mr. Snelgrove: Mr. Speaker, this afternoon and tonight we’re going to debate just that: a stability program, Bill 34, to stabilize the rents here in Alberta. I look forward to the debate. Mr. Martin: Well, Mr. Speaker, I’m asking about a debate here in this House right now, talking about where that money is going to end up. It’s taxpayers’ money. My question, again, is to the minister, whoever the minister is over there.

They seem to be having trouble deciding who’s up and who’s down. Would one of them answer the question: what is to say that without guidelines that money will not end up in the pockets of the landlords? Mr. Snelgrove: Mr. Speaker, it shouldn’t come as a glaring surprise to them that all rent ends up in the hands of landlords. That’s how the deal works. Mr. Martin: Well, Mr. Speaker, that’s interesting. The minister has just said, and I quote.

I asked the question – the taxpayer money for subsidies, rent evictions, and the rest of it – and the minister said that it’s going to end up in the pockets of the landlords. Thank you for that answer. My question simply is this then. Will he now admit and say that again, exactly the same thing, that this money is going to end up in the pockets of landlords? Say it again. Mr. Snelgrove: We use many programs to support individuals that are in different circumstances in Alberta. Some of them are direct subsidies to landlords. Some of them are programs that support the individual.

Some of them have different things, people with developmental disabilities and AISH people. There are a multitude of programs that we use very effectively to try and help that person achieve a life they can be proud of and live with dignity and respect. That’s what this government is all about. The Speaker: In less than 10 minutes from now I’m going to say, “Orders of the Day,” and we’re going to start a debate on Bill 34, which will last until at least 6 o’clock this evening. I look forward to a full, enthusiastic House of participants. The hon. Member for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, followed by the hon.

Member for Calgary-Varsity. 2:10 Liquid Strychnine Mr. Marz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Farmers are very concerned with the federal government restrictions on liquid strychnine to control Richardson’s ground squirrels, which cause $200 million in damage to crops each year, not to mention the many injuries also caused to livestock. My question is to the hon. Minister of Agricul- ture and Food. How much longer will this product be available to farmers in Alberta? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Groeneveld: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The federal government Pest Management Regulatory Agency did a three-year study on the

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 931 effects of strychnine on the environment. As a result of this study the federal government decided to deregister strychnine for pest control after 2008. The government of Alberta did however argue on behalf of the Alberta farmers that strychnine be maintained for pest control. Mr. Marz: Mr. Speaker, to the same minister: given that the premix version is only available in that premix form and it doesn’t have a very long shelf life, what other products are going to be available in Alberta in the near future to control this pest? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr.

Groeneveld: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal agency has registered a product known as Phostoxin, and we’re working with the government of Saskatchewan to test this product and check out its effectiveness and its safety for the environment and for the user. Information on biological control measures can be found on Alberta Agriculture’s website. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Marz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the hon. minister again. Many would argue that these alternate products aren’t nearly as effective as liquid strychnine.

Is there anything Alberta can do within our jurisdiction here to ensure that strychnine will be available in the future in this province? Mr. Groeneveld: Mr. Speaker, the simple answer is: no, we can’t. But we certainly can put Alberta’s concerns forward. This is, of course, a federally regulated product. We will continue to work with other governments and with the industry to look for a safe and effective replacement for control of the ground squirrel population because this is, indeed, a burrowing problem. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity, followed by the hon. Member for Wetaskiwin-Camrose.

Temporary Rent Regulation (continued) Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Monday in response to the minister of municipal affairs’ utterly false claim that I wasn’t concerned about my constituents, I predicted that the minister’s office would become very full given this government’s despicable treatment of vulnerable Alberta renters. Yesterday following the question period his room couldn’t accommodate the number of concerned individuals. To the minister of municipal affairs: did you get their message? Mr. Danyluk: Mr.

Speaker, there were 25 individuals that were in this House that were encouraged by the members of the opposition to come, and I thank the opposition. I thank the opposition for having those individuals come to our office. We did find better accommodation. There were individuals that were in wheelchairs. I mean, if the hon. member wanted them to try and fit into the small offices that we have, I’m sorry; I don’t understand that. We moved on to a bigger office. We tried to accommodate their needs and at the same time addressed the ones that had particular concerns. Mr.

Chase: The question was: did you get their message? Obvi- ously not. You didn’t get mine. Fred Bisschop is a constituent of mine. His rent is increasing by 50 per cent on June 1. He’s on AISH and can’t afford it. He can’t make it up here to meet the minister, and as we heard yesterday, the helpline of the Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry is completely inadequate. So I’m raising his case for him.

Without rent controls he’ll be either forced out of his home or the govern- ment will have to pay a direct subsidy, hundreds of dollars a month, to his landlord because this government won’t do the sensible thing and temporarily control rent increases. Why does Mr. Bishop have to face this dilemma? Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, may I respond to the issue of the tele- phone? Yesterday it wasn’t working properly. It was hard to find. But the phone line, number one, as of noon today is indicating to people how to get through on the homeless and eviction policy.

So may I just say that they can get through, they can be heard, and we would be anxious to speak to them. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Chase: Thank you. I hope their phones haven’t been discon- nected as they wait to be moved out. There are many more vulnerable constituents here, Mr. Speaker. They all want action on rent control from this government. Today I heard the story of a family forced to leave Calgary and move to Saskatchewan because their rent increase was so great. The government claims that everyone wants to come to Alberta to work. Well, it’s too bad they can’t stay.

To the minister of municipal affairs: what does he have to say to those many residents of this province who, like that family, can’t afford to pay the price of prosperity? Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, we need to have a balance when we look at housing. Rent controls do not work. For those individuals who are renting now, if we end up in a rent control situation, there will be units that will be turned over to condos. There will be no building that will take place, and it’ll be a worse situation. Mr. Speaker, I need to add a couple of points. The opposition is asking questions and talking about four ministers.

Yes, we do have four ministers. There was a housing task force that made recom- mendations, that directed recommendations . . . The Speaker: I’m afraid we’re going to have to move on to the hon. Member for Wetaskiwin-Camrose. Endangered Species Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Media reports continue to raise concerns about the potential impacts of climate change. My constituency is like many others across Alberta where in recent years we saw the effects of a severe drought. Wetlands are just one example of important habitats for waterfowl and so many living things.

Indeed, Alberta is renowned for its prairie wetlands across the continent, and they are an important part of our rural economy for hunting, fishing, and tourism. My question is to the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. What system does SRD have to identify how climate change may affect plant and animal species in Alberta? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Dr. Morton: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I’d like to thank the hon. Member for Wetaskiwin-Camrose for that question. Wetlands and waterfowl are dear to my heart. In fact, I had some for supper the

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007932 other night. I also flew over central Alberta the other day, and I’ve never seen our potholes more full of water. I think it’s going to be a great year for our waterfowl. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, was a hunter at one time. My first supplemental question is to the same minister. What process does SRD have in place to identify species that may become at risk of extinction? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Dr. Morton: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sustainable Resource Development has a number of programs that monitor this.

Every five years we publish a report on the general status of Alberta wild species. Our latest one was published in January of this year, 2007, and it’s available on the SRD website now. We also have an endangered species committee, chaired by the hon. Member for Athabasca-Redwater, who advises me on this. Also, I’m happy to report that th is is the first year that we’re launching our biodiversity monitoring program. It’s been in the works for the last couple of years: $4.2 million. It’ll be the first year. It’ll give us the baseline da ta. This program is the best in Canada, possibly the best in the world . . .

The Speaker: I think I’m going to have to recognize the hon. member. Mr. Johnson: My final question: what programs does SRD have in place to reduce the risk of extinction of species in Alberta? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Dr. Morton: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My department’s biologists work with the many stakeholders to monitor these situations. Again, we work closely with the hon. member’s Endangered Species Conservation Committee. We also have recovery programs that are advised by recovery teams.

We take this issue very seriously, as indicated by our biodiversity monitoring program, which, as I said, is not only the best in Canada, the best in North America but almost certainly the best in . . . Some Hon. Members: The universe. Dr. Morton: Thank you. Speaker’s Ruling Tabling Cited Documents The Speaker: Hon. members, before we move on, the hon. Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry during the exchange this afternoon indicated that she’d be prepared to table something.

I have to note that if this is a briefing note to the minister, something from her own department, there’s no onus for her to table such things. If it’s an official document, that’s different. 2:20 Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, they are various pages with anecdotal references, not identified by the name of the individual but from my department, that cite the circumstances in various parts of Alberta relative to people who have found themselves at risk. The Speaker: All I’m saying is that there’s no need to table such. If the minister chooses to, then the minister needs five copies. Is she prepared to do it now?

I’ll provide that opportunity. Ms Evans: Could I give the copies to be copied? And then we will so do. The Speaker: Why don’t we bring it back tomorrow, and we’ll table it that way. Then we’ll just deal with it that way. Ms Evans: Perfect. Thank you. head: Orders of the Day head: Government Bills and Orders Second Reading Bill 34 Tenancies Statutes Amendment Act, 2007 [Adjourned debate May 3: Mr. Snelgrove] The Speaker: The hon. President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Service Alberta. Mr. Snelgrove: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today we get to have a discussion about an opportunity to put rent stability into the marketplace and ensure that renters and people who are in a condo that may be subject to conversion have appropriate opportunity to look for lodging elsewhere should it make their lodging either unaffordable or certainly out of their price. One of the petitions that was tabled today identified the fact that Albertans are looking for stability in the rental market. By limiting to once a year rent increases, it will give an opportunity for people to do that. Mr.

Speaker, while the vast majority of landlords are caring and have developed a very good relationship with their tenants, of course there are some that have taken the opportunity of an overheated economy to put rents past where they should be. There is no simple solution. Certainly, rent controls in the short term might feel good, but they cap an industry that is not responsible to be the one that looks out for people that need help. The people that need help will access other avenues of funding through the government. At this point, Mr.

Speaker, we want to have a good, healthy discussion about the requirement of a year to notify for major renovations, condo conversions, rent increases, and we’ll help stabilize the rental market. I look forward to the debate. The Speaker: The hon. leader of the third party. Mr. Taylor: Excuse me? The Speaker: He was up before you were, sir. Mr. Mason: I would like to take this opportunity to respond to and debate Bill 34, the Tenancies Statutes Amendment Act, 2007. Mr. Speaker, there are elements of the act that we would have to say are positive.

The difficulty, though, is that we have got a bill before us that does not deal with the issues that were laid before the task force on affordable housing. That particular report was in fact put together on the basis that hundreds of Albertans from all over the province came forward and talked to the task force about the issues that they faced in terms of their housing. Mr. Speaker, rent controls as a broad category were mentioned more than almost any other single issue when this task force heard from Albertans. Now, you have to ask the question: what’s the point

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 933 of creating a task force and sending it out to listen to Albertans about what they need from the government if you’re not going to listen to it? Then what happened is that when the task force report was prepared, it was not distributed to members of the task force. It was not made public. It went behind closed doors in an archaic Tory decision-making process that hasn’t changed. Mr. Speaker, I want to just touch on the democratic reform approach of this government because they’ve made a great deal out of it.

They talk an awful lot about how they’re going to change the way things are done, and they have changed some things. They have changed some things in terms of how this House does business, and not all of those things are bad. In fact, I think there are some very good reforms that have come out of that, but they don’t get the basic question of democracy. They’ve ruled too long to fully understand how a government that wants to actually be open and accountable and actually be open and democratic operates. Now, it seems to me, Mr.

Speaker, that the first thing that should have happened was that the report should have been released, and there should have been a public discussion and a public debate about the report, and the government should have listened to that debate before it made up its mind. Instead, they chose to have the decision- making behind closed doors and to make their decisions before the public even knew what the recommendations from the report were. As a result, I think they made the wrong decision.

I think they made the decision based on ideology and the interests of landlords rather than the people that the task for ce listened to, so they find them- selves in quite a mess today. Well, I can tell you that when it comes to committee stage of this bill, we will be providing some amend- ments that will help the government out of its mess, and all they have to do is accept the amendment to bring in rent guidelines. Mr. Speaker, the committee recommended to the government a position that landlords should be able to increase rents by the consumer price index plus 2 per cent.

That would be, you know, around 7 per cent in perhaps a year, and of course if there were exceptional expenses, the landlords could actually get approval to raise the rents to cover those exceptional expenses. That’s a reasonable approach while new housing is under construction. But the government talks about the lack of construction, or they talk about how rent guidelines would impact rental construction when, in fact, rental construction in Alberta is going down. There are no rent guidelines now, and rents are soaring, yet we are seeing less rental housing being built than in Ontario or other places.

If the government is going to commit some funds to building affordable housing, that’s not a bad thing, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think it’s enough, but it’s not a bad thing that they do that. But the govern- ment has admitted – the government has admitted – that it’s going to take at least two years and in many cases three or four years before that housing starts to come online, and that will restore some equilibrium in the market. Until that time, they have left the renters of this province hanging out to dry.

So they’ve created a real problem for themselves, but more particularly they’ve created a great problem for the very large numbers of Albertans who rent. I want to point out, Mr. Speaker, that not all Albertans who rent necessarily fall in the vulnerable category. There are a great many families, seniors, young people that rent, and even though they have full-time jobs and in some cases very good jobs, they’re not in a position to afford the kind of rental increases that have been going on. So we will be presenting, Mr.

Speaker, an amendment to this bill to introduce the concept of rent guidelines, and I would urge the government to give it some serious consideration because I think they’ve made a very serious mistake both for people who rent in this province and, as well, for their own political futures. Mr. Speaker, just to move on a little bit, I think that we need to deal as well with the whole question of condo conversions, which the bill does. This is a serious problem. In the last year Calgary lost 946 rental units to condo conversions, and Edmonton lost 533.

The new rules limiting landlords to one rent increase per year have not been clearly explained or publicized, and in lots of cases constituents are getting unlawful increases, but they don’t know it. Mr. Speaker, I want to just deal with the whole question of the one rent increase per year, which the government has touted as being something that would protect tenants. There are a few cases where that’s actually been the case, where someone has been fortunate enough to have received in the last few months a very small rental increase and then got hit with the big one.

Well, the big one is not eliminated, but it is postponed. It is deferred until a year has gone by, and when the year has gone by, they can expect that that rent increase is going to be waiting for them. That’s something that the government has not dealt with. So it’s an ineffective means of dealing with rent increases. It doesn’t deal with it. 2:30 The government says that rent guidelines don’t work, but Ontario, Mr. Speaker, has had rent increase guidelines for about 15 years. Investment in new apartments has increased by 88 per cent since 2000.

That’s 2,045 new rental starts in 2000 and 3,848 new rental starts in 2006. Alberta with no rent increase guidelines has seen a drop in new rental starts by 52 per cent. So the argument that rent guidelines don’t work doesn’t work. Mr. Speaker, we have made it clear that rent guidelines should be a temporary measure until market stability can be restored. We don’t see them as a permanent solution in any way but a temporary measure to protect tenants until equilibrium in the market has been reached and re-established.

We also don’t want them to apply to new units, and if they don’t apply to new units, then it really is a curious question as to how they can prevent the construction of new units because they don’t apply to them. That’s an approach, I think, that is reasonable. It’s not a doctrinaire approach. It’s practical. It deals with the problems that people are facing. Mr.

Speaker, it’s important that the government realizes that this is a major crisis not just affecting vulnerable Albertans but thousands upon thousands of people who are middle class, families, seniors, students, all kinds of Albertans that are all being impacted by this, and they are watching and waiting to see what the government is going to do. If this bill passes in its current form, those people are going to be left hanging, and they’re going to be waiting for answers for a very long time.

So this is perhaps an opportunity for the government to get itself out of the hole that it’s dug for itself and do something that makes a lot more sense. There is gouging that’s going on, and I personally find it hard to accept the Premier’s answer that he’s going to send the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing down to talk to these individual landlords and that’s somehow going to solve the problem. In fact, the whole approach the government took today in question period on this issue was to talk about a handful of individual cases. They’re not dealing with it as a policy issue.

They’re not dealing with it as an issue that affects thousands upon thousands of Alber- tans, but they can’t help them all individually. I want to deal with the whole question of the emergency fund that the Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry keeps talking about. Mr. Speaker, there’s a particular fund to help very serious cases. The question that arises in my mind is why we need to use taxpayers’ money to help individuals who get in that position when, in fact, they get in that position because of bad government policy. The government could introduce a policy that protects tenants, that

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007934 protects renters in this province, that wouldn’t cost the taxpayers a dime. I hear the President of the Treasury Board calling it stealing from the landlords, simply, and he has a unique perspective on this problem, Mr. Speaker. It is, indeed, the perspective of the landlord and the owner and not the perspective of the people who have to find a place to live that they can afford. We’re happy to provide that perspective in this House. I happen to think that that’s the perspec- tive of the vast majority of Albertans.

The people of Alberta, the tenants of Alberta need some protection in this situation. The government has worked very hard to eliminate environmental regulations and taxes that corporations might pay in order to bring about the kind of economic growth that we have seen in this province. I happen to think that most of the credit goes to high world oil prices; nevertheless, they have done very little, precious little to plan for the impacts of that growth on the people of this province. They call it the price of prosperity, Mr. Speaker, but it’s very clear that the prosperous are not bearing the cost.

It is the poor, the middle class, and the working families of this province that are paying the price of prosperity. This government has set it up that way, and they don’t want it any other way, quite frankly. Mr. Speaker, I just want to conclude by saying that this bill as it now stands will not meet the needs of tenants in this province, it will not meet the needs of the hundreds of thousands of Albertans who live in rental accommodations, it will not stem the increase in homelessness that we’re seeing in this province, and it doesn’t really meet the needs.

So as it stands, it’s not a bill that we’re prepared to support, notwithstanding the fact that it has some positive steps. It needs to go much further because without the rent guideline portion, this bill will not constitute a comprehensive and effective housing strategy for this province. It’s too bad that the interests of the landlords and the ideology of right-wing conservatism have trumped common sense and the interests of the majority of the people in this province. I think it’s a sad day. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Currie.

And I will follow a rotation here for the remainder of the duration of this afternoon. If there’s any other member from the government side that wants to participate, then I’ll call them. After the Member for Calgary-Currie I’ll call on the hon. Minister of International, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Relations and then the hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview. Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to rise today and join the debate on Bill 34, the Tenancies Statutes Amendment Act, 2007. This, of course, is not a bill that could by itself solve the affordable housing crisis.

That should be recognized by all parties, and that wasn’t the intention. The intention of this bill was obvi- ously to address a certain part of it.

As the shadow minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing for the Alberta Liberals I certainly couldn’t object to that because we have said all along that one of the three key things that the provin ce must do in order to solve this imminently solvable affordable housing crisis in Alberta is to change legislation that creates roadblocks for people who have good ideas and otherwise the wherewithal and the ability and the resources to get to work on solving the affordable housing crisis. In principle this is, I suppose, as good a place to start as any, but you’ve got to do more than start.

When you start, you’ve got to do it in a comprehensive, well-thought-out approach, and I’m afraid this doesn’t even come close to meeting the mark. What this bill does is that it will modify the notice periods and make that amendment retroactive to April 24 of this year and allow for regulation-making authority on any other matter deemed necessary to carry out the act.

So the main amendments are to regulate the frequency of rent increases for tenancies to once a year, provide clarification around the start date for the time referred to for rent increases, and make it an offence not to comply with the condo conversions notice period, which again is a one-year notice. That doesn’t go far enough. That doesn’t go nearly far enough.

In fact, what we have seen happen since April 24 is that landlords, some of whom are unscrupulous, some of whom are taking advan- tage of a giant loophole, and others of whom are good landlords – because there are many, many good landlords in the province of Alberta. That shouldn’t be in dispute.

But they’re terribly confused and concerned and worried by the way in which the government has introduced this concept and introdu ced this legislation, so they’re saying: well, gosh, if I only get one rent increase a year, given the way my costs are going up and given the market conditions that exist, I better make it a good one. So tenants are seeing their rents skyrocket. 2:40 You know, we talked in our affordable housing policy – because everybody needs a home – about need to enhance tenant protection, and we said that our plan would limit rent increases to one per year.

So it’s a Liberal idea that we’re talking about here. We also said that we would do two other things in terms of enhancing tenant protection. We said that our plan would establish a vacancy rate trigger that when implemented would place a two-year moratorium on conversions of rental properties to condominiums, and we put an exception in there: except for those developers who agree to replace any rental units that they want to convert to condos, that would be lost due to condo conversions, with new rental properties.

In other words, if you’ve got a 50-unit rental building that, you know, you can make a really good business plan for turning into a condo, build us another 50 units of new rental accommodation and we’ll let you do it, despite the moratorium that exists otherwise. And ploy 3 was this: we would institute a one-time, one-year-long temporary rent regulation that limits rent increases within that period to a maximum of 10 per cent. This would lessen the risk of tenants losing their homes while giving communities and builders time to create additional affordable housing sp aces. Mr.

Speaker, what happens when you institute a pack age of tenant protection is that tenants are protected. What happens when you only introduce one piece of that package is that you can’t put the rest of the puzzle together, and tenants are hurt. So this bill, in fact, w ill do and already has done the precise opposite of what it’s allegedly intended to do, which is to offer some protection to tenants. As for the condo conversions, you know, a one-year notice period is certainly twice as good as a six-month notice period, which is what we have under legislation currently.

But we’ve been talking in my office to some real estate types who wanted us to know that with a one-year notice period on condo conversions and a clause that says that rents can’t go up during that period, here’s a loophole that would-be condo converters will exploit. You buy a building, and as soon as you possibly can after the deal closes, you simply raise those rents because there’s no cap on rental increases. You raise those rents as high as you can to something that you know the tenants couldn’t possibly afford. Then you just wait until the building is empty.

On ce it’s empty, you apply for titling through the city, because titling for condo units is done through the municipality, not through the provin ce. It slows the conversions, yes, but there is still that loophole that makes it profitable in neighborhoods where prices will continue to rise. I don’t think anybody, not even the minister of health, who seems to be in an

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 935 incredibly skeptical, cranky mood this afternoon, nobody seems to think that the price of housing in the province of Alberta is going to go down any time soon. You know, the government, even the minister of health, who continues to chirp away like one of those returning finches from winter – I have one living in a tree just outside my rental unit here in Edmonton. [interjections] Blah, blah, blah. Nobody wants to throw things drastically out of balance, at least I don’t think.

I haven’t talked to the members of the third party – maybe they do – but I don’t think anybody in this House wants to throw things wildly out of balance. Several people in government talk about the need for balance. The housing minister talks about the need for balance. We talk about the need for balance. We agree that there is a need for balance. We think it’s absolutely key. Our policy is about balance. It’s about balancing the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords.

It’s about providing stability and certainty for renters but also allowing landlords and owners to increase their rents enough to offset increased costs that they may be facing. Our policy is about balance.

Our temporary rent regulation measure set at 10 per cent, which many tenants would argue is too high and many landlords would argue is too low, may indeed balance the pain somewhat by causing a little bit of pain for renters and a little bit of pain for landlords over the short term, but it is designed simply to provide protection for renters while they need it, while we’re working on creating a supply of affordable housing. I think that on that point the government and even the minister of health and the minister of blah, blah, blah, whoever said that, would agree with me. An Hon. Member: Who said that? Mr.

Taylor: Well, I said it originally, but that was back in question period. As usual, the members opposite have copied me but only partly. You know, I think that the members opposite would agree that the ultimate solution is to create a sustainable supply of affordable housing at a bunch of different levels, but I think what we need to do here in this House is acknowledge that it is going to take some time to do that.

In the interim, between now and then, it is vital that the renters who have a roof over their heads today, many of whom are in imminent jeopardy of losing that, be allowed to stay in place and not lose their homes until we can create an add itional stock, an additional supply, of affordable housing. That’s what temporary rent regulations will do. Temporary rent regulations do not apply to new rental units that are constructed.

I mean, you know, when we talk about building affordable rental accommodation, that involves a different set of circumstances, different set of regulations, different set of incentives across a number of different platforms than rent control. That’s an issue for other legislation and other initiatives, no question about it. Bill 34 doesn’t seek to address that. But while we’re working on creating that supply of affordable housing, it is vital that we protect renters who have a place to live now. We don’t want the affordable housing crisis to get worse. We don’t want more people to become homeless.

We cannot use the argument that if we bring in temporary rent regulations, no construction of rental accommodation will occur. First of all, it won’t apply to new construction of new rental units. Second of all, it won’t last, under the Liberal plan, long enough to affect construction, to discourage construction. It’s a temporary measure. Third, no housing construction of rental accommodation, affordable or market priced, is going on in the province of Alberta today in Edmonton or Calgary, none to speak of, nothing significant.

Back in 1978 when this province had rent control – and granted, the government also at that time offered tax breaks to rental property developers – the CMHC’s annual report noted that over 17,000 rental apartment units were started in the province of Alberta that year. Seventeen thousand with rent controls in 1978. Near zero without rental controls 30 years later, you know. So, I mean, the minister of health continues to sing like a canary, chirp away, asking: what were mortgage rates at the time? I believe he said: what were conditions at the time?

Well, of course, condi- tions were somewhat different because c onditions are always different. The problem, though, Mr. Speaker, remains the same. The imperative for this House is to address the problem in an intelligent, sustainable, worthwhile way, which, of course, the President of the Treasury Board doesn’t get whatsoever, you know. This bill falls so far short of the mark that without serious amend- ments there’s no possible way that we could support it.

No possible way whatsoever. 2:50 You know, in my private member’s statement at the beginning of today’s sitting I noted that it was nine years ago that there was a report done on the affordable housing problem in Alberta then, after a housing symposium held in Edmonton. Nine years ago. The government at that time could have and – if it had been a different government not so ideologically wedded to its one-trick pony act of getting us, you know, out of debt and doing nothing else, paying off the mortgage while the roof continued to leak – should have done something about it then. It didn’t.

It could have done something. It could have seen this problem coming five years ago. It didn’t. It could have seen this problem coming three years ago. It didn’t. Had the government acted sooner, we would not need to be talking about rent control. We would not need to be talking about limiting the number of rent increases. We would not be needing to talk about moratoriums on condo conversion. Because with nudges at the right place at the right time the market, which has served Albertans well most of the time, would have continued to work. But they didn’t do that.

Now, I could stand here – I think I’ve got about a minute left of debating time – and bash the government for that. But that’s not the point of this exercise.

The point of this exercise is to take a very serious crisis that we have on our hands and get the job of solving it right, get on with the job of swinging hammers and digging base- ments and building basement suites and granny flats and changing legislation so that cities and towns can use inclusionary zoning as a way to require affordable housing and using density bonuses as a way to incent builders to build affordable housing, and get on with the job of fixing it. But in the meantime, Bill 34 does not protect those renters who have a roof over their heads today, and many of them, Mr.

Speaker, will lose their homes in the time it will take to create some affordable housing. I thank you. The Speaker: Hon. members, Standing Order 29(2)(

a) is available, the question and answer segment. Hon. minister, do you wish to address a question to the hon. Member for Calgary-Currie? Then there being none, we’ll call on the hon. Minister of Interna- tional, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Relations, and I’ll ask the hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview or Calgary-Varsity to be on standby. Mr. Boutilier: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know that everyone in this Assembly is committed to the ultimate value of this. If you can, imagine this: someday, a single mom or a senior citizen

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007936 or a middle-aged family with a couple of kids they’re raising are renting a place because they don’t have, you know, the capability of owning a place but they are renting. But imagine this: when one of those landlords who have been gouging – and, by the way, there are very good landlords, but there are some that truly are gouging. Imagine this: the actual tenant could pick up and say: “Sorry. I don’t like your rent.

I’m going across the street, and I’m going to rent this place, which is better qua lity at a lower price.” The reason that actually that person will be able to do that is because we have more supply to choose from in a competitive marketplace. So ultimately that is our hope. That’s why this government has put more land on the market, specifically in my own constituency, where more land means more builders, and more builders mean, in fact, more supply, and more supply means greater competition, and greater competition means a competitive market, that, I think it’s fair to say, we do not have today.

I want to share with you what has in the past two and a half years – as much as we’re having this debate today, I might say that this rate stability guideline is a very important step in the right direction. It’s also important to acknowledge, which has been acknowledged by the opposition, that the principle of what we are trying to achieve, all of us, is helping those who don’t own, in fact, an asset, a home, but they actually are in a situation of renting. Tenant protection is critical in this important bill. Let me just give you an example. History is a wonderful teacher.

Twenty-five years ago when the oil sands companies were being built, companies like Syncrude Canada, like Suncor, in fact, demonstrated quite clearly that they have a role and a responsibility in the issue of housing as well. I’ve made this comment quite public, that it’s not just about the government. We all have a role to play. The reason I say that is this: 25 years ago as much as these companies were in the oil business, they were also in the housing business. Syncrude Canada had Northward Developments, where they built thousands of homes.

In fact, Suncor, Great Canadian Oil Sands, called Athabasca Realty, built thousa nds of homes in helping our community. They did it because they saw it as their corporate social responsibility. What has happened in the last two or three years? Let me give you the example. We have newer players of oil sands companies who come into my community of Fort McMurray and haven’t built one home. Do you know what they have done? They’ve decided in their wisdom to grant living-out allowances of $3,000 to $4,000 a month.

None of that amount of money that has been granted to employees in the oil sands, in fact, has ever built a home. What they have done, ultimately, has turned the market absolutely upside down in terms of what was taking place. So they give someone $2,000 or $3,000, and how do you think the market would have responded? I want to say when I hear of the $150 today, which I still empathize with, that in my community two and half years ago rents had gone up by over $500, $600, $700, $800 based on this extra money that was floating around in the marketplace.

In an unpr ecedented move as the only cabinet minister in the history of Alberta to present at the Energy and Utilities Board at the time, I talked about corporate soci al responsibility. I said to them that they have a responsibility in a mature housing market. Just like the private sector has a responsibility, so does industry, and so does government.

In fact, back 25 years ago the government had what was referred to as AMHC, Alberta Mortgage and Housing Corpora- tion, and at that time they were there because we had a y oung community of 8,000 that could never have ever kept up with what was happening in the private sector. That’s why industry was involved. So, really, it isn’t about ideology. It was then about doing what was right to help grow the oil sands in a way that could provide housing in a responsible manner. Twenty-five years ago, I might also add, there were 1,500 people living in tent farms at the Lions Park in Fort McMurray.

Fortu- nately, we will never be at that crisis that we had seen 25 years ago in terms of where we are today because we are collectively working together. I’m also encouraged by this: the chancellor of the University of Alberta had made a comment that industry has a responsibility, and they demonstrated at the time where they backstopped, and they mitigated some of the risk.

So if you have now, 25 years later, a mature market that is building homes – an unprecedented number in Fort McMurray – and rental accommodations, and you add to that some backstopping of the risk by the oil industry, that can play a role in helping as well because they have a responsibility, combined with this rent stability guideline.

I believe that what this governme nt is doing is the appropriate, responsible action in u ltimately having everyone play a role in getting more rental units on the mark et so that single mom or that senior citizen or that middle-aged family can say to those who want to gouge: “Sorry. I’m leaving your rental accommodation because I’m going across the street to a competitor who’s offering it for $300 less than what you’re doing.” Now, ultimately the market will work with this type of ingredient of everyone coming together.

That’s what this stability guideline is intending to do to help towards that end and achieve that vision that I have in terms of people enjoying this quality of life, and specifi- cally in my community where, in fact, as much as we’re talking about it today, it’s been taking place for the last two and a half years. Wherever it’s happening, it’s unacceptable. This guideline that wasn’t there two and a half years ago, I’m pleased to say, is there today because we have a plan, and ultimately that plan will work, and it will assist people who are renting in the private market. Thank you.

The Speaker: Hon. members, Standing Order 29(2)(

a) is available. Is this under the question segment, Calgary-Varsity? Mr. Chase: Thank you. To the member from Wood Buffalo, who is in an area that is probably suffering the most extreme of circum- stances. The member pointed out that oil companies and their northern allowances are allowing at least oil workers to be able to afford the Fort McMurray high rents. Does the member think that this is a good move, or does it cause problems for his community? Mr. Boutilier: Let me very specific.

As I made the comment at the Energy and Utilities Board, it is not acceptable, and this is the private discussion I’ve had with CEOs. I have indicated that Northward Developments, which was a subsidiary of Syncrude, and Athabasca Realty, which was a subsidiary of Great Canadian Oil Sands: that was a proper, responsible approach they took many, many years ago because they were ultimately building, and the ultimate solution to this is about greater supply. We all have a responsibility, but just putting more money in the market does not in any way help, in fact, in putting more supply in the market.

It just turns the market upside down. The Speaker: Additional question, hon. member? 3:00 Mr. Chase: Yes, if I may. Thank you. Thank you for that clarifica- tion. I would suggest that what the government is doing by subsidiz- ing landlords who are gouging vulnerable individuals is the equiva- lent of what these oil companies do by increasing northern allow- ances. The money goes to the unscrupulous landlord as opposed to

May 9, 2007 Alberta Hansard 937 helping out the individual, and it’s the taxpayer in this case that’s funding that extra allowance. Is that a reasonable comparison, Mr. Minister? Mr. Boutilier: I guess what’s really important – because as you know, we want to have nurses in our community of a hundred thousand people, and we require what we refer to as essential workers. So the government has taken the appropriate action in the short term, and this is only for a year or two, where, in fact, nurses are receiving $1,040.

I want to thank the minister of health, who, in fact, came up and made that announcement, where he indicated that they will of course be helped. Really, that was intended to help retain professionals in health care services and others, because they were leaving to go to bigger cities where rents were, believe it or not, less than what they were in my community. So I thought that the minister of health took the appropriate action. I want to say that the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, the action the govern- ment took, in fact, of enticing them to retain and stay in our community was helpful.

Now, we’re presently with the President of the Treasury Board, working closely with the Radke report, where $400 million are going into our community. A part of that is being recognized. We have over 900 teachers. We are trying to work with them so they stay in our community because the 20-some sc hools we have require teachers, who are renting to be able to stay because of the youthful population of our teachers. They’re very young, and the majority of them are renting, and we’re trying to help them as well. This is in the short term.

It’s my hope in the long term that our entire province will continue to be competitive so one community doesn’t steal another professional from another community, which, in fact, has taken place in my community. The Speaker: Standing Order 29(2)(

a) is still available. Mr. Chase: Thank you, and I appreciate the clarifications from the hon. minister. The minister talked about the need for stability and that these increases, which are much appreciated and are much necessary to achieve the stability in the community – he’s hoping that they’re of a short-term nature. Obviously, we hope, regardless of our political affiliation, that we can bring long-term stability. The minister also used the word “ultimately,” as in: ultimately the market will solve the problem.

I know that this is asking you to foresee the future, but do you see a time coming in the next two to three years where stability will take place? Could you provide a vision for that ultimately? Mr. Boutilier: I think it’s a very good question, and I think, obviously, you’re talking about a community that perhaps is the epicentre of what’s taking place, even though it’s taking place, as I mention in my submission to the EUB, in many other areas, be it northwest or up in the Peace C ountry and other areas as well.

If I could give you the best example of that: the oil sands were projected to have $20 billion of investment over 25 years. I might add that our former Premier, when the comment was made about a plan, his comment, clearly, was this: no plan could ever keep up with the unprecedented growth that was happening. The Speaker: I’m afraid that we’ve now exhausted that

section of our agenda. So I’ll now call on the hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity, to be followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona, to be followed by the hon. Minister of Public Security and the Solicitor General and then the hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview. Mr. Chase: Thank you. First off, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to compli- ment you on your tolerance today for allowing questions that hovered around Bill 34.

As a Liberal caucus we attempted to very carefully word our questions such that they would be allowed to be asked and discussed and answered in the House, and I appreciate your tolerance today for allowing those discussions to take place. Calgary-Varsity is quite a diverse community. I have some rather expensive real estate in the Calgary Varsity Estates part. I also have throughout my areas a number of very ru ndown duplexes and fourplexes, and I’m sure that a considerable number of the basement suites in my area are of the illegal nature.

Nevertheless, people are desperate, and as a result they’ll put up with some questionable environments just so that they can survive. I had one constituent who raised such a ruckus about the terrible state of his landlord’s failure to renovate or provide any support for the leaking into the basement. It was just a very, very sad circum- stance, but because the individual had a very weak physical system, he stayed within this area so that he could access the health provided from the Calgary Foothills hospital.

However, when things became so bad and his landlord doubled his rent without providing any kind of renovation or any reason for doing so, the individual applied to the government, and the government came through for this particular individual. Rather than have him continue to be a burr under their saddle or a thorn in their side, it was worth $21,000 for the Alberta government to move this individual and his belongings, which were not very many, to the province of Ontario, where he was able to set up and begin his life again.

In the Calgary-Varsity constituency there are a terrific number of tall apartment buildings and very tall condominiums. An apartment building that is just around the corner from my constituency office – I brought up the story of the residents of the 298 units, who were facing a variety of rent increases, all of which approximated 50 per cent plus. These people had a series of difficulties in the sense that some of the stories I brought up were individuals on AISH. I brought up stories of fixed incomes. Today I talked about an individual, a wonderful man. He’s a giant of a fellow.

His name is Fred Bishop, and Fred Bis hop’s rent will increase by 50 per cent on June 1. That rent that he’ll be paying – he’ll be asked to pay over a thousand dollars, and of course you realize that AISH is approximately $1,050 – is for a 550 square foot apartment. Fred doesn’t have a whole lot of options. Fred has a very severe heart condition, high blood pressure. Despite his difficulties he remains a very cheerful individual, and Fred, when he can, when his health permits, will come into the constituency and provide a voice for those 298 individuals in that complex.

It was Fred who first came to my office and reported the unfortu- nate suicide of an individual living in that complex. The individual had a series of instability incidents prior to this time, but it was the increase in rent that was indicated in the note that was left that, unfortunately, caused this individual to take a very drastic action. The following week Fred came back to the office and recounted the story of another individual who in that same building had committed suicide. These are desperate times, and we need to have long-term and short-term solutions.

Bill 34 does go a way in terms of addressing long-term situations. It provides $285 million worth of affordable housing stimulation. I think, however, that we’re all aware of how long it takes to get a home up, particularly with our building and builder shortages. The concerns that are brought up by my hon. colleagues from the NDP and my hon. colleague from Calgary- Currie I want to echo, and that is that there is no provision in Bill 34 for the here and now.

Alberta Hansard May 9, 2007938 3:10 My colleagues from Calgary-Currie and from Calgary-Mountain View and I last spring all participated in the homeless count in Calgary. We found that in the period of two years homelessness had risen by 40 per cent. My belief is that if we went back to the 2004 statistics and we carried out that same homeless count this spring, I would guess that the increase in homeless population is probably approaching 60 per cent. Now, to put that into terms, I believe it was approximately 3,600 individuals that were counted on that particular night.

That doesn’t include the number of young people who are doing what is called couch surfing, where they go to one friend’s house and the parents put them up for a couple of nights, and then they go on to another person’s if they have the good fortune to have that family connection. Besides the vulnerable seniors, the people on fixed incomes, AISH, the individuals who are requiring support b ecause of cognitive disabilities, live in homes that are not subsidized to the extent they should be. I talked to one individual.

B ecause she has two dependent adults living in her home, the government in its wisdom suggested: “Well, it’s one roof, two people. We’ll just halve the amount of your allowance because it’s a single roof.” So the types of individuals who are experiencing stress are growing in Calgary-Varsity. I’m sure that my area isn’t a whole lot different than everybody else’s, at least who are in a municipal circumstance, and it’s the municipalities where people are initially drawn to to, hopefully, make their fortune. Unfortunately, that’s not happening.

Another group in my c onstituency that is having a really rough time of it – and the same could be said for Calgary-Mountain View and Calgary-Currie because we’re all postsecondary bedroom communities – is the number of students who are trying to pay their tuition, go to university or go to SAIT or the Alberta College of Art and Design or, in the downtown area, Bow Valley. They’re doing their best. They want to get out there. They want to participate in the Alberta economy. They want to contribute.

But what’s happening is that their whole educational experience is being stretched out because they cannot take on a full course load. They cannot afford the cost of the full tuition. They cannot afford the time that it takes to go through a complete course load because they have to work at least one to two and, in some cases, three – I’ve talked to a number of students – a series of jobs. So they’re trying to juggle their studies. They’re trying to juggle paying the rent. The increase in demand at the University of Calgary’s food bank is tremendous.

The unfortunate state of affairs is that it’s not just the students. There are members of the university staff. And I found this very hard to believe, but I was assured that this was the case, that there are even professors who, on occasion, have to resort to going to the food bank. Our economy is so out of whack and our balance is so much missing that the need for an interim measure is absolutely essential. This is where Bill 34 fails us.

Bill 34 does not consider the need for a temporary – and I emphasize “temporary” because that’s what our deputy shadow minister for municipal affairs suggested. [interjec- tion] Well, our deputy leader, our shadow minister for municipal affairs, just in case there was confusion as to how I was labelling the MLA for Calgary-Currie. What he pointed out and our Liberal proposal is for one year, enshrined in legislation with a sunset clause, that would see a capping of rent at the 10 per cent mark. Interestingly enough, the housing task force came up with a very similar recommendation.

I think it was inflation plus 2 per cent. All these suggestions have been out there about some sort of a reasonable cap. We don’t expect landlords to be philanthropic. You know, we’re realistic. Some landlords do everything they can at their own personal expense to shield renters from experiencing large increases. Yesterday there was an individual, a landlord, who came to speak to the minister, and that landlord had done everything he could to shield the individual from rent increases.

In some cases it was at the expense of the other tenants, but they agreed that keeping this person with a disability within their complex was important. So there was kind of a family attitude: the whole family suffers so that the individual who is most vulnerable can be supported. I do not understand why not, other than for purely ideological reasons, the notion of a temporary rent control, one that has a sunset clause of a year, which could then be discussed further if our economic imbalance continues. It could be reinstituted, or we could change the percentage. What it would do is keep people in their homes.

As soon as we take a person out of their home and put them on the street or institutionalize them, the cost of that individual rises threefold. So there’s an economic argument as well as sort of an ethical argument for keeping people looked after. There’s an ethical argument for making sure that they have clothes on their back and that they have food in their stomach. It’s economic; it’s ethical. I, again, fail to understand why this government does not see that need. Now, on the other side of things: the instability for landl

Document details

Collection	Alberta — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20070509
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	L26 S3 20070509 1300 01 han.pdf
Language	en
Format	json
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	572c4060d45a974ce1ec48b5f6206933732d4eb9

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