Rent Control Is the Answer—Until Renters Look for Lower Rents
DID YOU KNOW?
During a Nova Scotia legislative committee hearing, ACORN Chair Heather Clark, concerned about the province’s high rents, said she was considering moving to Edmonton or Regina, where she could find rent for approximately $1,200 per month.
Both Alberta and Saskatchewan operate without rent caps.
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature, Community Services Committee proceedings, June 2, 2026.
WHY?
The comparison exposes an important contradiction.
Rent-control advocates frequently argue that stronger regulation is necessary to make Nova Scotia affordable. Yet some renters facing high housing costs are looking toward unregulated provinces where rents can be lower.
Rent control alone does not determine affordability. Rental supply, vacancy rates, construction costs and competition for tenants all influence what renters pay.
Alberta and Saskatchewan demonstrate that rental markets can be more affordable without rent control.
THE BETTER DIRECTION FOR NOVA SCOTIA
Allow Nova Scotia’s temporary rent cap to expire as scheduled at the end of 2027.
Encourage rental construction, improve vacancy rates and provide targeted assistance to renters who need help.
The objective should not simply be controlling rents on paper. It should be creating enough rental housing that people can find an affordable home without leaving Nova Scotia.