As a renter in Jasper, from the get-go you find yourself in a vulnerable position.
The community has had a zero vacancy rate for decades, so there is little to no choice in where you live. Renters have to take what they can get and accept it for what it is: a roof over their heads in a magical place.
That reality, though, can make Jasper a little less magical. For some people it means going home to a bachelor suite occupied by numerous roommates. For others it means sleeping on a friend鈥檚 couch because there鈥檚 nowhere else to go. Of course, there are also a lucky few who scooped up the spacious two bedroom apartments and townhouses, allowing them to make a comfortable home.
Whatever the arrangement, the decision is rarely up to the tenant. In Jasper, the power is left wholly in the hands of the landlord, who, at any time of year, has the pick of the litter, leaving tenants at a huge disadvantage and little to no agency over where they lay their heads.
This isn鈥檛 news, though. This has been the status quo in Jasper for decades.
But, what is news is renters may have it worse than we previously thought.
It turns out, because the townsite is within a national park, and as such is under federal jurisdiction, there is now uncertainty as to whether Jasper renters are protected under the provincial Residential Tenancies Act (RTA).
Tenancy laws are almost always under the jurisdiction of the province. They鈥檙e meant to protect both landlords and tenants by providing rules around tenancy agreements, including security deposits, rent increases, lease terminations and inspections.
The province is currently reviewing the RTA with Parks Canada to determine how it can apply in a national park.
In the meantime, Service Alberta said the RTA still applies, but that鈥檚 only if it鈥檚 brought before a court.
In any other community in Alberta, those disputes would be handled through a complaint process administered by the province. It is a fast, inexpensive, less-formal way to settle disputes between landlords and tenants without going to court.
It seems unfair to expect Jasper renters to incur legal fees to address the same types of complaints, just because they live on federal land.
Court should be a last resort, not the only available option.
The federal government should save its time and resources and give the province the power to handle these disputes, ensuring that Jasper鈥檚 landlords and tenants are on the same playing field as the rest of the province.
Living in a national park shouldn鈥檛 have come at the cost of basic rights.
