Province looking to fill vacant government housing units
Saskatchewan has the lowest rental vacancy rate in nearly a decade but the provincial government has four times more empty apartments than average, which has the province trying new ways to fill suites.
The Saskatchewan government has 1,000 vacant suites for rent in Regina and Saskatoon but you probably won’t see them advertised on Kijiji.
“Basically just saying for rent would imply that anyone can come in and rent it but we do try to serve people most in housing need,” said Louise Michaud, president of the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation.
CMHC reports a vacancy rate of just over 3 per cent in Regina and Saskatoon, the lowest in nearly a decade. The public housing vacancy rate is four times that. The NDP think there are too many barriers to entry.
“That will mean relaxing the present day barriers. I know for example if you have utility arrears, you are not eligible for social housing,” said NDP MLA Meara Conway.
The government wants to address its high vacancy rate.
“We are absolutely concerned about our vacancy rate,” Michaud said.
It recently allowed single people to share units with roommates. Ten units were offered for rent and quickly snapped up. It’s also allowing younger people in seniors housing.
“We are using our housing units and our housing portfolio to provide the best possible service to people who are in housing need,” Michaud said.
The vacant units in Regina and Saskatoon represent millions of dollars in lost revenue annually. The current government has used cost as rationale for selling buses and liquor stores but has no plan to sell off its Regina and Saskatoon stock of vacant housing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6963806.1721000812!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Trudeau says he spoke with Trump after shooting, condemned political violence
The Prime Minister's office says Justin Trudeau spoke this afternoon with former president Donald Trump in the wake of a deadly shooting at one of his campaign rallies on Saturday.
What we know about the 20-year-old man who tried to assassinate Donald Trump
The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa., as the suspect in Saturday's attempted assassination of former U.S. president Donald Trump at a campaign rally.
UBC investigating professor’s social media post following Trump assassination attempt
The University of British Columbia is investigating a now-deleted social media post from one of its faculty members that appeared to be wishing an assassination attempt on Donald Trump had been successful.
Biden warns of election-year rhetoric, saying 'it's time to cool it down'
U.S. President Joe Biden warned Sunday of the risks of political violence in the U.S. after Saturday’s attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump, saying, 'It's time to cool it down.'
What an ex-FBI agent noticed in the aftermath of Donald Trump rally shooting
An apparent assassination attempt has many questioning how a shooting that wounded former U.S. president Donald Trump was even possible.
LCBO reverses plan to open select stores on Friday as strike continues
The LCBO has reversed its plan to open select stores on Friday as retail workers continue to strike across the province, according to a statement from the Crown corporation on Sunday.
Obituary Shannen Doherty, '90210' actress, dies at 53, People magazine reports
American actor Shannen Doherty, best known for her role as high school student Brenda Walsh on hit 1990s television drama 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' has died at age 53 following a years-long battle with cancer.
Read the letter from Melania Trump responding to attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Former first lady Melania Trump issued her first public response since her husband, former President Donald Trump, was injured in a shooting at one of his rallies on Saturday.
Spain beats England 2-1 to win record fourth European Championship title
Spain is the king of European soccer for a record fourth time. For England, it's another agonizing near-miss in the team's decades-long tale of underachievement.