[Dion]

Losing sleep over Alberta's Rental Crisis.

http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/pu...cles&s=comment

The government ignored a recommendation by its own task force to impose temporary, two-year rent guidelines that would keep increases to inflation plus 2%. Owners could apply for exemption from the guidelines to recover their actual costs for utilities, taxes and capital improvements.

What’s more startling is that the government ignored another task force recommendation to offer incentives to builders to construct more affordable rental dwellings.

During the all-night debate, government whip Frank Oberle claimed rent controls would stifle construction of new housing, He ignores the fact that, even without controls, developers have started no rental-specific properties for the general public in Calgary for years. Some have been built for seniors and the handicapped, but none for lower-income workers.