HANDE: Reaching out to the Sask Party Government re rent ...
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2025 9:46 amHANDE: Reaching out to the Sask Party Government re rent controls
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: D'Arcy Hande <hande.dk@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Oct 29, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Subject: Reaching out to the Sask Party Government re rent controls
To: <ss.minister@gov.sk.ca>, <ministerrrhe@gov.sk.ca>
Cc: <david.prisciak@bellmedia.ca>, <reginanews@rawlco.com>, <news@sasktoday.com>, <jcairns@sasktoday.ca>, Caucus <caucus@ndpcaucus.sk.ca>
The Honourable Terry Jenson
Saskatchewan Minister of Social Services & Housing
The Honourable Lori Carr
Saskatchewan Minister of Seniors
Dear Mr. Jenson and Ms. Carr,
On Monday, October 27, I was among a delegation of seniors from Saskatoon and Regina who visited the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly. Through our MLAs and through the news media we expressed our deep concern that the cost of rental accommodation is rapidly outpacing the capacity of our fixed incomes, and we are facing the stark choice of having to move out of our “forever” homes as a result. We asked for the provincial government to consider rent controls as one way to ameliorate our cost of living.
I refer you to the following three media reports in this regard:
“Province rejects rent control as NDP highlight senior struggles” by David Prisciak, CTV Regina, Oct 27, 2025
[ https://www.ctvnews.ca/regina/article/p ... struggles/ ]
“‘Just atrocious’: Sask. seniors ask provincial government for rent control” by Gillian Massie, CJME Radio, Oct 28, 2025.
[ https://www.cjme.com/2025/10/28/just-at ... t-control/ ]
“NDP steps up calls for rent control as seniors point to skyhigh rents” by John Cairns, SaskToday, Oct 28, 2025.
[ https://www.sasktoday.ca/provincial-new ... s-11409558 ]
While sitting in the Assembly gallery, watching our elected representatives raise this serious issue in Question Period, I was quite taken aback that the two government ministers most closely associated with addressing our seniors housing situation remained silent. Instead Deputy Premier Jim Reiter jumped up to respond to questions from the Opposition by basically shrugging his shoulders and claiming there really was no immediate solution. I watched as you, Mr. Jenson, and you, Ms. Carr, nodded your heads in agreement. Neither of you attempted to elaborate on his evasive answers, nor did you offer to meet with us seniors to express empathy or concern with our difficulties.
I realize now that Premier Scott Moe’s government is a very top-down operation. When he or his Deputy speaks, everyone in the government ranks (including cabinet ministers) must sit and fall into line. But now I would ask that each of you responds in a more considered, personal capacity to our concerns. What can OUR provincial government offer as options for those of us caught in this extremely stressful financial bind?
On Monday, Mr. Reiter waved a sheet of paper in his hand claiming that “experts” in the Saskatchewan Realtors’ Association (SRA) have warned of the perils of legislated rent control. I searched the SRA website, but could find no such press release or statement. In any event, this industry association can hardly be considered a “disinterested” party in the debate. I was disappointed that the media people there neglected to get copies of Mr. Reiter's "evidence" and to challenge him on it. So much for investigative journalism!
It makes me wonder, and I fully expect, that your respective ministries must have conducted intensive policy analyses of the impact of quickly rising housing costs among seniors and other fixed income groups and of the efficacy of rent controls as just one tool to manage that impact. Would you please be so good as to share some of those with me and others who are so vitally concerned? Of course, I do not have access to what is no doubt a wide range of research and scholarship on the matter. You have doubtless carefully studied those resources and applied them in your internal policy discussions.
A quick Google search readily turned up a report in the Financial Post referencing just a few of those studies:
“Why it's time for a serious debate about rent control in Canada” by Ricardo Tranjan , Financial Post, Nov 25, 2024
[ https://financialpost.com/real-estate/r ... for-debate ]
From a marketplace media platform, the author reports, “In 2020, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) carefully analyzed the impact of rental controls enacted after 1971. The key finding of this study: ‘There was no significant evidence that rental starts were lower in rent control markets than in no rent control markets.’”
This directly contradicts the line that Mr. Reiter and your government have been spouting over the past several months.
However you look at it, Mr. Jenson, the housing crisis in Saskatchewan has become acute. The only relief from rising rents in the province that we seniors currently have is the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit, which I need not remind you has not increased by $1.00 since it was established in 2022. I am a beneficiary of that program and receive the top amount payable of $225/month. That $225 amount has been completely eaten up by increased rents over the two years since I moved into a seniors highrise. This morning my OAP/CPP payments were deposited, and I was given a magnanimous raise of $5.14/month. Hardly compares with the $100+/month increase that will be levied on my rent on April 1st, does it?! When might we seniors see a meaningful boost in the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit?
Ms. Carr, on March 31st you told the Human Services Committee, “Providing quality, safe care and supports to seniors, whether at home or in a long-term care setting, remains a priority for our government.” [ https://docs.legassembly.sk.ca/legdocs/ ... es-HUS.pdf ] Can you give me and my fellow seniors any assurance that this so-called priority means anything at all in the real world? It is hard to feel such assurance after witnessing Mr. Reiter giving us a giant shrug in the Legislature on Monday afternoon. Maybe your personal intervention will count for something. Is that a realistic hope? I am counting on it.
D'Arcy Hande
Apt. 209
1223 Temperance St.
Saskatoon, SK S7N 0P2
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: D'Arcy Hande <hande.dk@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Oct 29, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Subject: Reaching out to the Sask Party Government re rent controls
To: <ss.minister@gov.sk.ca>, <ministerrrhe@gov.sk.ca>
Cc: <david.prisciak@bellmedia.ca>, <reginanews@rawlco.com>, <news@sasktoday.com>, <jcairns@sasktoday.ca>, Caucus <caucus@ndpcaucus.sk.ca>
The Honourable Terry Jenson
Saskatchewan Minister of Social Services & Housing
The Honourable Lori Carr
Saskatchewan Minister of Seniors
Dear Mr. Jenson and Ms. Carr,
On Monday, October 27, I was among a delegation of seniors from Saskatoon and Regina who visited the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly. Through our MLAs and through the news media we expressed our deep concern that the cost of rental accommodation is rapidly outpacing the capacity of our fixed incomes, and we are facing the stark choice of having to move out of our “forever” homes as a result. We asked for the provincial government to consider rent controls as one way to ameliorate our cost of living.
I refer you to the following three media reports in this regard:
“Province rejects rent control as NDP highlight senior struggles” by David Prisciak, CTV Regina, Oct 27, 2025
[ https://www.ctvnews.ca/regina/article/p ... struggles/ ]
“‘Just atrocious’: Sask. seniors ask provincial government for rent control” by Gillian Massie, CJME Radio, Oct 28, 2025.
[ https://www.cjme.com/2025/10/28/just-at ... t-control/ ]
“NDP steps up calls for rent control as seniors point to skyhigh rents” by John Cairns, SaskToday, Oct 28, 2025.
[ https://www.sasktoday.ca/provincial-new ... s-11409558 ]
While sitting in the Assembly gallery, watching our elected representatives raise this serious issue in Question Period, I was quite taken aback that the two government ministers most closely associated with addressing our seniors housing situation remained silent. Instead Deputy Premier Jim Reiter jumped up to respond to questions from the Opposition by basically shrugging his shoulders and claiming there really was no immediate solution. I watched as you, Mr. Jenson, and you, Ms. Carr, nodded your heads in agreement. Neither of you attempted to elaborate on his evasive answers, nor did you offer to meet with us seniors to express empathy or concern with our difficulties.
I realize now that Premier Scott Moe’s government is a very top-down operation. When he or his Deputy speaks, everyone in the government ranks (including cabinet ministers) must sit and fall into line. But now I would ask that each of you responds in a more considered, personal capacity to our concerns. What can OUR provincial government offer as options for those of us caught in this extremely stressful financial bind?
On Monday, Mr. Reiter waved a sheet of paper in his hand claiming that “experts” in the Saskatchewan Realtors’ Association (SRA) have warned of the perils of legislated rent control. I searched the SRA website, but could find no such press release or statement. In any event, this industry association can hardly be considered a “disinterested” party in the debate. I was disappointed that the media people there neglected to get copies of Mr. Reiter's "evidence" and to challenge him on it. So much for investigative journalism!
It makes me wonder, and I fully expect, that your respective ministries must have conducted intensive policy analyses of the impact of quickly rising housing costs among seniors and other fixed income groups and of the efficacy of rent controls as just one tool to manage that impact. Would you please be so good as to share some of those with me and others who are so vitally concerned? Of course, I do not have access to what is no doubt a wide range of research and scholarship on the matter. You have doubtless carefully studied those resources and applied them in your internal policy discussions.
A quick Google search readily turned up a report in the Financial Post referencing just a few of those studies:
“Why it's time for a serious debate about rent control in Canada” by Ricardo Tranjan , Financial Post, Nov 25, 2024
[ https://financialpost.com/real-estate/r ... for-debate ]
From a marketplace media platform, the author reports, “In 2020, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) carefully analyzed the impact of rental controls enacted after 1971. The key finding of this study: ‘There was no significant evidence that rental starts were lower in rent control markets than in no rent control markets.’”
This directly contradicts the line that Mr. Reiter and your government have been spouting over the past several months.
However you look at it, Mr. Jenson, the housing crisis in Saskatchewan has become acute. The only relief from rising rents in the province that we seniors currently have is the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit, which I need not remind you has not increased by $1.00 since it was established in 2022. I am a beneficiary of that program and receive the top amount payable of $225/month. That $225 amount has been completely eaten up by increased rents over the two years since I moved into a seniors highrise. This morning my OAP/CPP payments were deposited, and I was given a magnanimous raise of $5.14/month. Hardly compares with the $100+/month increase that will be levied on my rent on April 1st, does it?! When might we seniors see a meaningful boost in the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit?
Ms. Carr, on March 31st you told the Human Services Committee, “Providing quality, safe care and supports to seniors, whether at home or in a long-term care setting, remains a priority for our government.” [ https://docs.legassembly.sk.ca/legdocs/ ... es-HUS.pdf ] Can you give me and my fellow seniors any assurance that this so-called priority means anything at all in the real world? It is hard to feel such assurance after witnessing Mr. Reiter giving us a giant shrug in the Legislature on Monday afternoon. Maybe your personal intervention will count for something. Is that a realistic hope? I am counting on it.
D'Arcy Hande
Apt. 209
1223 Temperance St.
Saskatoon, SK S7N 0P2