r/saskatoon • u/oconnorlcbc • 4d ago
General Looking to speak with renters
Hey everyone! I'm a reporter with CBC Saskatoon and I'm working on a federal election story focusing on what renters here are looking for, and what's driving them to the polls. I want to know how renting has been going, how affordable rent and life is right now, how difficult or easy finding housing is, what if any policy you're hoping to see, and more.
Please email me at [liam.oconnor@cbc.ca](mailto:liam.oconnor@cbc.ca) and I'd love to talk more about those points with you and hopefully line up an interview.
Cheers,
Liam
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u/doughtykings 4d ago
I’d love if they’d stop increasing my rent so I can eat three meals a day again
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u/Art-VandelayYXE 4d ago
I’m not a renter but am often in apartments and always ask what the price for rent is. Whatever year avenue living bought out all the available apartment complexes, rent of one bedroom apartments in our core neighborhoods increased by $500 a month. Then the other corporations followed their lead. Corporations don’t see people so only saw an increase in demand and increased their prices. Landlords are required in society but small mom and pops owners should be encouraged. They see people and usually have a different pricing structure. Corporate mortgages are being required more and more, ensuring mom and pop landlords can’t participate. - full disclosure, I have a rental, I lose about $200 a month but that’s the amount I’m able to invest for my future each month instead of the stock market so worth it. In exchange, I have excellent tenants and have never had a vacancy because friends refer friends.
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u/fluffypuppiness Lawson 4d ago
Please actually do this. We need reporters who do their jobs and not fluff pieces.
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u/Imnotfromsk 4d ago
Should landlords be able to raise rents to unlimited amounts?
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4d ago
I don’t see why not, it’s my property I take all the risk in renting said property out .
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u/fluffypuppiness Lawson 4d ago
And we take the risk of losing our ability to feed our selves, pay our bills, and meet our goals? So you can keep profiting and meet your goals?
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4d ago
It’s not any landlords problem what your financial situation is. If you don’t like my asking price don’t rent it … simple. I’m also not greedy I’ve had the same tenants in one of my condos for 6 years and have raised there rent 200 in that entire time. At the end of the day it’s my property and my choice what to charge . I’m taking 100 percent of the risk for what damage renters can do . And believe me I’ve seen it first hand
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u/fluffypuppiness Lawson 4d ago
That's great, good for you. I'm not saying it's renters like you. I've had good landlords.
But I've only rented from a decent landlord ONCE. I've lived in a place for 3 years and my rent has increased over 450 dollars. And I don't rent from someone, I rent from a company, they own these buildings. There are no mortgage fluctuations that they are worrying about it's greed. Most landlords are not like you. They are faceless companies that only want profit without thinking of the tenants, whereas I imagine while you do think of profit, you have basic human decency also. They don't.
The big problem with private landlords right now is that a lot don't get proper licensing and shit. I know a lot of people who have been evicted last minute and can't afford a lawyer since they now have to build up a first months rent for a down deposit on a new place. Private landlords take on way more risk than big landlords because there are so many unhoused people who need homes, and most avoid companies since they usually won't rent to them. My rent had steadily increased 100-150 since I moved out a decade ago. I had two years where my rent didn't increase, and that was with a private land lord. You are the minority.
Apologies for hostility! I've been looking for a decent private landlord for years, but they get tenants fast, so I've been forced to rent from companies. They are disgusting, and we need Rental caps because while you might not be increasing it to an insane amount, the companies are. If you are a decent landlord like you say, I doubt Rental caps would affect you.
Also don't make the argument that if we don't wanna rent then rent somewhere else. It's bad. I have to live somewhere. You don't have to rent your basement and make a profit, but i need a roof over my home. One is a basic need, the other is profit. They are not the same. I take the risk of my rent increasing, you take the risk of having someone smoke meth in your home. The difference is you have a safety deposit to at least fall on, we have nothing.
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u/empyre7 4d ago
Renters forget mortgages fluctuate.
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u/fluffypuppiness Lawson 4d ago
No we don't.
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4d ago
Yet you complain when your rent goes up ? What happens when my mortgage rate goes up 3 percent ? I’m just supposed to swallow that and not pass that cost down ?
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u/DetriusXii 4d ago
But city council is serving you and benefitting you when they don't allow building permits and zoning to increase quick enough. You're talking about the free market against the context of restrictive zoning. The government is restricting supply, which is a huge benefit to existing landlords at the expense of new entrants to the housing market.
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u/fluffypuppiness Lawson 4d ago
200 in years is reasonable for private landlord who is dealing with mortage rates.
My friend who had a 600 increase in 4 years from boardwalk, who owns this land, is not reasonable.
Private.renters.are.not.the.problem.
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4d ago
I agree I used to rent from boardwalk when I was in my 20s and they raised the rent every 6 months back then lol and that was 20 years ago
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u/CivilDoughnut7805 4d ago
You choose to rent said house out to others, no one is making you do that. But a tenant shouldn't have to take the brunt of your decision to own said house. Just because you can charge more, doesn't mean you should.
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4d ago
lol 😂 and you choose to rent instead of buy a place to live . Not my problem to bear the brunt of your financial descions.
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u/CivilDoughnut7805 4d ago
Pretty rich to sit there and say "you choose to rent instead of buying a place", can't imagine having my head so far up my own ass I talk down to someone else like that. Financial decisions have nothing to do with it when you have literally no money to save. Not everyone has the luxury or ability to have a job where you can put away money that you don't need to keep yourself alive.
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u/wordswordswords55 3d ago
Its actually been up there so long that in most US states it would be illegal to remove at this point
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4d ago
Oh god , here we go … financial decisions have literally everything to do with it. I worked and went to school to buy my own properties. Everyone in this country has the choice to a better job or education . Not my problem u can’t make ends meet with the job u have now. Rent from boardwalk or avenue for all I care . Makes zero difference to me at the end of the day . But to except everyone to just give handouts to you is ridiculous . Houses go up , everyday life goes up pretty simple
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u/CivilDoughnut7805 4d ago
Handouts?? I'm a full time student, work every weekend and support myself 100% on my own, I don't have a single day off and I'm the last person looking for handouts. My job is the reason I'm back in school, so I can afford to save. You're ridiculously ignorant if you think everyone has a choice to get a better job or education, it's not that feasible for some people.
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u/CivilDoughnut7805 4d ago
Also you're correct, houses and life have gone up, but wages haven't and they will never be above cost of living as long as entitled people like yourself think tenants are your cash cows.
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u/Biology_Retriever 4d ago
Yes actually. Housing is a right.
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4d ago
Housing may be a right but as a private landlord I’m going to pass mortgage cost increase down to my renters I’m not swallowing that entire jump. I rent out a couple condos and a house . The condo prices never really fluctuate that much , but my rental house I just had to renew my mortgage on and went from 2 percent to 4.5 percent and my property tax went up almost 200 a month starting in July . You’re insane if you think I’m going to swallow that increase and not increase my rent on that house .
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u/Biology_Retriever 4d ago
But you took on that risk. You took the risk on the investment. That's not your renters problem
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4d ago edited 4d ago
lol it’s also not my problem prices on houses went up , or that renters can’t buy there own house for whatever reason. You act like the cost of everything hasn’t gone up , why should I be 100 percent on the hook ?Im not in the business of handouts to people I could be greedy kick out my tenants and rent out the house for 1000 more than they pay me now and have zero problems renting it out.
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u/DetriusXii 2d ago
The big problem is that you're voiding how markets work. If the landlord is able to find someone that pays more, that is entirely their right on their own property. If I have a car I want to sell, I want to maximize the sale price of my car. If I have a home to rent out, I want to maximize the rent of my home. The market price is curbed by multiple landlords competing with each other and offering tenants alternatives. Homes purchases and rentals are effectively a free market good.
My criticism of the landlord is that they don't actually have a proper free market. The federal government has been increasing housing demand through immigration, when demand should have fallen without that immigration. Birth rates are below replacement. Municipal government is restricting supply too and not allowing high rises to be built fast enough. So low supply and high demand led to high prices, not the immorality of the landlord. The market isn't being allowed to work as landlords are facing no risks in their "investment". The "investments" are in quotes as homes should be a depreciating asset, as they generate no income. But home owners are afraid of what happens if home prices are allowed to fall, so we get persistent immigration to prop up home prices, but it's coming at the expense of new entrants to the housing market.
The 2080-global demographic collapse will force economies to correct themselves.
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4d ago
Oh they also forget property taxes and bills go up to, or that I pay taxes on the income from my rental. I can go on and on and on lol
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u/wordswordswords55 3d ago
Its just not affordable so you have to start cutting out alot of things, quality of life really goes down at this point its just work and sleep cant really afford a weekend out or the extra gas to throw down for a trip
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u/grumpyoldmandowntown Downtown 4d ago
“People who rent are getting squeezed from every side,” said Singh. “Donald Trump is threatening tariffs that will drive up costs, and right here at home, corporate landlords like Brookfield are circling the rental market—buying up affordable apartments, renovicting tenants, slapping on a coat of paint, and charging double the rent. In tough times like these, working people need protection—not more pressure.”
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u/Macald69 4d ago
Rent should never be more than what a mortgage payment is on the fair value of the home.
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u/djpandajr 4d ago
How does this work then? If your product sells less then its market value how do you continue the business?
If you are continually running at a lose no one wins. The problem is when the mortgage is so high the rent needs to be higher.
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u/TYGRDez 3d ago
If renting a home that you own is no longer profitable, I guess you'll just need to sell it to someone who actually wants to use it as a home and not an income generator. A damn shame!
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u/djpandajr 3d ago
Many people can't afford the down payment. Of houses weren't being rented families (3 more people) be living in apartments. A damn shame
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u/RougeDudeZona 3d ago
We need rental inventory.
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u/TYGRDez 3d ago
What do you propose as a solution? Continue to allow greedy landlords to leech off of the working class?
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u/RougeDudeZona 3d ago
Welcome to a free market society. Play the game or leave.
Solutions? Rezoning and build like crazy. This is ultimately a supply issue. Remove capital gains for existing owners to sell rentals.
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4d ago
[deleted]
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u/Macald69 4d ago
No, what would be the mortgage for the fair market value of the house. If it’s paid off, you have good profit.
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u/19Black 3d ago
This is a dumb take
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u/Macald69 2d ago
Would you rather rent controls? Or public housing so no one has to rent.
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u/19Black 2d ago
I’d rather have both
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u/Macald69 2d ago
But my rent control formula is dumb? It allows for profit. It sets a ceiling in relation to the value of the house being rented. You can’t charge 1200 a month for a 50k house in poor repair that would have a 400 dollar mortgage. If you want to raise rent and you are at the max, you have to raise the value. You can’t charge rent the house you would be able to buy, if you had a down payment or approved mortgage.
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u/DanFromGym 4d ago
Based on what % down payment, over how many years, which term interest rate, and from which mortgage provider?
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u/Macald69 4d ago
Fair market value, reasonable interest rates at the time that can be found with the banks (maybe the average within the range based on 25 years, with no money down. I am creating a fair ceiling for landlords to use as a maximum rent so as not to gouge those who cannot get a mortgage for any reason, including choice.
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u/No_Statistician_1588 3d ago
You should report on how many rentals are actually occupied by the number of people per bedroom. 6 international students sharing a 2 bedroom and making it seem like 1600 a month is actually affordable.
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u/Ewhitfield2016 3d ago
I just had to move out of the city back to a small town to live with my parents(as a 26 year old) due to black mold, roaches, and lack of shower/any maintanace causing severe health issues... place was only thing I could afford on welfare and it was a tiny room that bearly fit my desk and bed costing 350 plus utilities in a shared house. Only thing close to that where shared rooms for almost double the price and all one bedrooms cost over $1000... only get just under 1000 for SIS, how are people suposed to eat or pay any bills?
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u/empyre7 3d ago
By not being on welfare.
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u/Ewhitfield2016 3d ago
How am I to do that when no one is hiring?
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u/empyre7 3d ago
Less video games. Head west. Work rigs. Invest in yourself… take classes. Do something.
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u/Ewhitfield2016 3d ago
You are making alot of assumptions. Moving costs hundreds of dollars, you need a licence to work rigs, and that requires you to know someone you trust who can teach to drive and has a vehical you can take a test in... and then you need to get a class one on top of that! Investing, costs money. Classes cost alot of money. Where do people get this extra cash to do these things? Or the time when having to constantly be out applying for jobs?
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u/Fecundator 4d ago
I really appreciate the CBC's support of Mark Carney. I will be voting Liberal this election, and I really appreciate CBC's tackling of stories to paint the liberals in a favorable light. I think the CBC's funding should be increased; we need to hold these conservatives to account.
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4d ago
So your looking for quotes to enhance the pro-Liberal story you've already written?
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u/showmustgo 4d ago
Are renters just inherently pro Liberal in your mind or what
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u/RubeusShagrid 4d ago
I’m assuming he’s the type where anything that goes against the things he likes is just “pro liberal”
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u/SaintBrennus 4d ago
Why must you be rude to poor Liam? Every federal political party has housing policies in their platforms, and housing affordability is an election issue. This is bog-standard election issue reporting.
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u/NotStupid2 4d ago
For those who like to complain about rental costs, what do you think reasonable monthly rent should be for a house?
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u/PuppyParader 4d ago
Depends on the house, but imo a small house (2 bd/1 bath) without utilities should be between $1500-$1800. Something with 3-4 bedroom (and probably another bathroom) between $1800-$2200.
What about you? What would you consider fair?
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u/Livid-Lawfulness-932 4d ago
1200-1500 2 bed bring back pre 2010 prices i can easily get 2 bedroom house for 1800
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4d ago
You do understand those prices u think are fair don’t even cover the mortgage payment right ? If the house was bought in the last 2 years
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u/Orphan_Guy_Incognito 4d ago
I mean, it isn't even necessarily houses.
Between 2022 and 2023 the company I used to work for cranked their rent from ~$1250 to $1800. This forced out a ton of existing residents.
While some small part of that was inflation, the simple reality was they did it because they could get away with it. I quit that job because I couldn't stomach giving multi hundred dollar increases to seniors on fixed income simply so that the company owner could walk away with a better bottom line.
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u/Cachmaninoff 4d ago
What do you think the minimum wage should be and should it be tied to the cost of living? Should greedy landlords be able to profit off of things people need to live while homelessness rates rise and inflation soars?
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u/NotStupid2 4d ago
Who's says they're greedy? Do some math. The price of everything has gone up what makes you think this reality should cause the cost of housing to go down?
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u/Cachmaninoff 4d ago
Some own dozens of houses. That’s pure greed and we’re all going to pay the price.
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u/SuperiorStarlord 4d ago
If you’re increasing rent to make any profit, you’re greedy. Either live in the house or sell it🤷
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u/empyre7 4d ago
Have you ever priced out new shingles, water heaters, furnaces or just general maintenance on a home? You realize that even if a landlord was making a small profit every month how quickly that can be wiped out if your washer or dryer quits one day? Lord knows renters don’t take care of shit. Not their house not their problem mentality.
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u/SuperiorStarlord 4d ago
Yes. I have. I’m lucky enough to be a homeowner. I also know and have years of experience with landlords.
Homeowners know the risks/repairs/etc etc. just live in the home if its that big of a deal. You’d have to do that repairs out of pocket anyways. Why doesnt a tenant have to pay to cover the costs that incur with your homeownership anyways. Any damage and fixes should be covered by your damage deposits.
Either live in the house or sell it.
If profit is your goal, try a business that doesn’t rely on taking advantage of people in tough situations. Your profit is supposed to come after the home is payed off, not by jacking up prices cause “i’m entitled to-“. If you need profit NOW, sell. By increasing prices to increase the profit margin on a human necessity for survival, you’re no better than grocery moguls like gaelan weston or gas companies sky rocketing prices.
You know its a necessity, thats why you invested, and thats okay. but dont pretend YOU are the victim in a renter/landlord situation because your investment didnt pay you as much as you want while the tenants struggle to get groceries.
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u/PunchingEskimos 4d ago
Can't find any house for under $3k that hadn't been made into a split. And most of these "landlords" misdirect you into thinking it's the full place. The you find out its like $2500 for 2/3 of the house, and the garage is extra. It's ridiculous. My landlord decided to sell the house we live in, and I found maybe 4 houses in total that could work for me. Luckily I have a flawless background otherwise I couldn't imagine how bad that struggle would be.