GOVERNMENT ADVOCACY 

Alberta Residential Landlord Association (ARLA) works hard to bring our members together with Municipal, Provincial and Federal governments and ensure their voices are heard. ARLA ensures positive relationships are developed at all levels of government and we use these relationships to positively advocate and represent our members.  We sit on various Alberta boards and committees and have taken part in City of Edmonton Initiatives including the current issue on the Waste Management Strategy.  We have been invited to take part in numerous discussions with all levels of Government with respect to multifamily housing.

ARLA ensures that each year a contribution from the previous years financials is distributed to the Political Action Reserve (PAR) Fund.  The PAR Fund is used by ARLA for Lobbying/Strategic campaigns on behalf of the membership for issues that arise municipally/provincially and federally that require an outcome.  

Alberta – currently sit on the following Councils:
  • Alberta Barrier Free Council - Safety Codes Council
  • Alberta Residential Tenancies Advisory Committee (ARTAC)
  • Alberta Government Ministers Housing Advisory Committee - representing the private sector 
We keep communication up with the City of Edmonton Fire Department, City of Edmonton Police Department, RTDRS and Service Alberta and have built quality relationships with them. 

Current Efforts
ARLA continues to observe all City of Edmonton Council Meetings to ensure we are aware of any issues that pertain to the Residential Rental Industry. 
 
Recently the City of Edmonton Councillor Michael Janz brought forward a motion that would require the licensing of Landlords in the City of Edmonton.  We have been following this issue and on June 7 at City Council Meeting the following motions were made: 
Moved by M. Janz
Seconded by A. Knack

  1. That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, write a letter to the Government of Alberta, highlighting the need to expand and enhance minimum rental standards.
  2. That Administration provide a report identifying options and tools available to the City of Edmonton to support residential tenants, beyond existing provincial requirements and standards, and available tenant services.
 
We will monitor this issue to ensure our voices are heard and will call upon members if this becomes a bigger issue. 
 
There have been other Cities in other provinces that have also brought an issue such as this forward such as Oshawa and Toronto. 

ARLA is currently working on a paper that would reduce Red Tape within the Residential Tenancies Act as well as a paper to address issues within the Residential Dispute Resolution Services.

Previous Efforts
The various committees of the Alberta Residential Landlord Association work to affect favorable change within the various levels of government. Previous efforts include:
  • ARLA presented to the City of Edmonton on behalf of its membership for 2 years requesting them to review the Multi-Family Residential & Condominiums Waste/Recycling and organics service and cost.  We were asking the City to allow the Residential Industry to secure their own private contractor for waste/recycling and organics processing and remove the City of Edmonton’s Monopoly.  Currently the City of Edmonton charges $30.69 per unit per month for these services, and although we have already been paying into the organics processing, we have not received this service. The organics processing is to be implemented to all multifamily over the next two years.   We know that we can secure this service at a much better rate and have better control over our service and still work with the city on the 25-year Waste Strategy Plan.  In March 2022, ARLA alongside some of our members, presented to the City Council again and were defeated – The City voted in favor of the Status Quo and waste will still be monopolized by the City of Edmonton.  ARLA will bring this issue forward again when the organics processing to Multifamily units starts.
  • Commissioned the Split Mill Rate Position Paper, presented to the City of Edmonton, Business & Property Tax Review Committee, to phase out the unfair multi-family tax rate
  • Involved on committee to review the Residential Tenancies Act, Ministerial Regulations and Code of Practice
  • Involvement with the U of A Legal Studies Department developing the Laws for Landlords Website: www.landlordandtenant.org
  • Contributed feedback to the development and implementation of the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service pilot project (resolutions for landlord and tenant disputes)
  • Studies on effects of rent controls and the market impact of our economy
  • Involved with the Electric Vehicle Strategy Committee for Edmonton
  • Involved with the City of Edmonton on the Waste Management Strategy for 2020
  • Continued involvement with the Government on issues affecting landlords through letters and meetings
  • Involved  on the committee for Pest Management Regulatory Agency for Canada 
  • Working alongside RECA with respect to the Property Management Industry and strategic planning
  • Discussions and information sharing as a stakeholder with the City of Edmonton Fire Department on various matters of interest to the Industry such as Lock Boxes and the future of these
                


​THE ALBERTA RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD ASSOCIATION ENSURES THAT IF THERE IS AN ISSUE AT ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT AFFECTS THE RENTAL HOUSING IN ALBERTA, WE WILL ENSURE OUR MEMBERS VOICES ARE HEARD. 

WE ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO KEEP US INFORMED OF ANY CURRENT INDUSTRY ISSUES THAT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.