Since declaring a public health emergency in Alberta on March 17, 2020, the government has made a flurry of announcements and legislative amendments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has implemented these changes through legislation and Ministerial Orders that majorly impact both … [Read more...]
Alberta’s New Condominium Regulations: Rental deposits
This article is part of a multi-part article series on Alberta’s new condominium regulations. Stay tuned for our next article on condominium insurance.On January 1, 2020, revised condominium governance regulations came into effect in Alberta. One of the changes has to do with rental deposits. As … [Read more...]
Canada’s Law on Consumer Product Safety
20/20: Looking back over the last 20 yearsIn the past 2 months alone, you’ve probably heard about the recent food recall warnings on beef and romaine lettuce. Did you know that we have a law in Canada that deals with product safety and recalls?The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (“CCPSA”) … [Read more...]
An Update on Short-Term Rentals
I’ve been waiting for years to write this article. In the housing sphere, short-term rentals have been an issue for quite a while. Typically transacted through on-line platforms such as Airbnb, a short-term rental is a type of rental accommodation where a person (often referred to as a “host”) rents … [Read more...]
Introduction to Contracts
Consumer law covers a wide range of topics that are pervasive in our everyday lives – including contracts, advertising, credit, buying of goods and services, privacy and more. CPLEA often receives questions from the public about consumer law-related issues and so LawNow is launching this column to … [Read more...]
Hoarding and Tenancy Situations
Dealing with hoarding in a tenancy situation involves a balancing act between a landlord’s rights and a tenant’s rights under the law. Under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), a tenant has the right to quiet enjoyment of their property. A landlord has a corresponding duty to make sure this right … [Read more...]
Accommodation in Tenancy: Assistance and Support Animals
Sometimes tenants require the assistance and support of an animal. Are landlords required to accommodate a tenant with an assistance or support animal? Well, part of the answer depends on the type of animal involved: does the situation involve a disabled tenant with a qualified service or guide dog, … [Read more...]
Believe It or Not Tenancy Questions
Here at CPLEA, we receive hundreds of questions about landlord and tenant issues every year. While a majority of them are relatively straightforward, we occasionally receive some questions that leave us scratching our heads or in a state of disbelief (or sometimes a bit of both). In this article, … [Read more...]
Housing Affordability in Canada: The Vancouver and Toronto Experience
Introduction These days, you’re bound to come across the issue of housing affordability in Canada, especially in Vancouver or Toronto. You have probably also heard about how housing affordability is especially difficult for Canadian millennials. Millennials, which are younger adults between the … [Read more...]
Alberta’s Recreational Cannabis Landscape: An overview of restrictions in housing and public spaces
Introduction On October 17, 2018, recreational use of cannabis became legal in Canada. Canadians are now able to purchase recreational cannabis, publicly possess up to 30 grams of dried cannabis and grow up to 4 plants for personal use. Does this mean that Canadians can obtain and use cannabis … [Read more...]
