North Battleford city council has reopened debate on a residential rental property registry, with councillors divided on whether it would help address problem properties or simply create more administrative work.
Council voted Monday to direct administration to bring forward a residential rental property registration bylaw for formal debate at a future meeting, reviving a proposal that had previously been considered but never voted on.
Supporters said the proposed registry would create a central list of rental properties and landlord contact information, allowing city officials to more quickly identify property owners when complaints arise about neglected homes, repeated emergency calls or other neighbourhood concerns.
They argue it would also help police, firefighters and Protective Services respond more effectively while giving the city a clearer picture of its rental housing stock.
Coun. Rodney Fedler said he envisions a simple online registry rather than a licensing system and does not believe it would require significant new spending.
“I see nothing budget-related as far as this registry that we’ll have to increase with an online registry.”
Coun. Gail Feser said the registry would improve accountability by giving city officials direct contact with landlords, including those who own properties through corporations.
“Our goal is to have a safe community,” Feser said. “This will also hold landlords accountable for their properties.”
She said the information would help the RCMP “track trends with problem property and owners” while also allowing Community Safety Officers to better support landlords by sharing information about city bylaws and available services.
Coun. Bill Ironstand said residents regularly contact councillors about deteriorating rental homes and repeated emergency calls, arguing the registry would give the city another tool to intervene before problems become more serious.
“I see this bylaw as giving our protective services an extra tool, a very important tool to go in and look at these properties before they become problems.”
Ironstand said the proposal would begin with registration rather than inspections or licensing fees and said renters deserve safe housing.
“They’re paying rent and taxes in the City of North Battleford. We owe them the right to live in a safe and healthy home and community.”
Mayor Kelli Hawtin agreed the city needs stronger ways to deal with problem properties but questioned whether a rental registry is the right solution.
Hawtin said council should first clearly define the problem before deciding on a policy response. She noted the city already has powers under existing bylaws to address unsafe properties and questioned whether registering every rental property would provide additional authority.
“Probably all of us can identify nine out of 10 of those properties just by driving by right now. So does this change that? I don’t know that it does, which is why at the time [when it was first introduced] it to me didn’t feel like the right solution,” Hawtin noted.
“I’m not opposed to finding a solution to problem properties and ensuring people are in safe homes. We just may be differing opinion on methodology.”
Fedler said the goal of bringing the proposal back is to allow council to fully debate the idea before deciding whether to proceed.
“I want you guys to tell me why we shouldn’t have it,” he said.
“I’ll tell you why we should have it, and we’ll make up our mind.”
Council will consider the proposed bylaw at a future meeting before deciding whether to establish a residential rental property registry.
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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com
