Statement from the NB Coalition for Tenants Rights on the Premier’s State of the Province Address

Statement from the NB Coalition for Tenants Rights on the Premier’s State of the Province Address

February 11, 2021

FREDERICTON, NB

We are pleased to see that the Government is taking our concerns seriously by initiating a review of the situation facing renters in New Brunswick. 

However, we are concerned that the government has been sparse on details about what the review will include, how it will unfold and what the end goal will be. 

Will there be stakeholder engagement as part of this process, and will groups that represent tenants have a seat at the table?

Moreover, we are especially concerned that this simply kicks the can down the road. We need emergency measures now, not in 90 days.

We fear that this signals to landlords that if they were thinking of raising rents, they had better do it now. After all, 90 days happens to be the exact amount of time for landlords to provide notice to increase rents.

This underlines the importance of the proposals we put forward this week, signed by over 30 community organizations. In particular, the importance of retroactive rent protections and an immediate moratorium on evictions during the pandemic.