CBC news recently had an incredible story about Komaldeep Makkar who came to Canada from India, via Dubai. She and her family had high academic qualifications and great jobs in Dubai.
While successful in Dubai it had always been her dream to come to Canada and be a top architect as she had ben while in the Middle East and India.
After becoming a Permanent Resident Komaldeep found finding a a suitable job impossible to get. Whether it was not accepting her high degrees or demanding “Canadian work experience” it was clear that she was being ‘blocked’ from the career she earned.
Komaldeep made it clear: Canada “erected systemic blockades to prevent immigrants from succeeding…”
Tenant Newcomers Are Experiencing The Same Discrimination
As the Canadian government website states: People come to Canada for many reasons. No matter where they’re from or why they’re here, a warm Canadian welcome can make a difference. Help make your neighbourhood a better place for everyone to live.
However, like Komaldeep was kept out of getting the career she deserved, many Tenants who are new to Canada are being kept out of the housing they deserve.
Many newcomers were home owners before. Or they were Tenants in their homelands with years of successful rental history and even letters of recommendations from former landlords!
However, many newcomers are experiencing the same erected systemic blockades as Komaldeep did. Only this time is discrimination for getting approved for renting a Home in Canada by landlords.
It’s Time To Change The Human Rights Code On Housing To Prevent Discrimination Against Foreign Rental History
The Human Rights Code already has rules for landlords to not discriminate against Tenant applicants for many categories. Now it’s time to include landlords must take into account “Foreign Rental History.”
Newcomers can provide with landlords with documentation which must be included in any judgement on renting a Home:
-Leases from previous tenancies
-Deeds from former home ownership
-Bank account statements showing rent was paid
-Letters of recommendation from previous landlords
How Can This Be Enforced?
Tenant applicants can file a Human Rights complaint if the landlord discriminated against them.
However, we have an even better idea:
A Landlord Must Rent To Newcomers If the Following Is Provided:
-Proof of 2 Years of Successful Renting in Their Home Nation (no evictions)
and
-A Letter of Recommendation From Your Foreign Landlord (Rent was paid)
Is This Fair?
While many Tenants think this might be going too far as they want to protect their tenant history and it is unfair for PRYING EYES who they don’t know who is looking at their person info., it also protects the landlord just as they would want to screen a local Canadian Tenants. So landlords should be happy they are getting so many qualified Tenants.
We Asked Landlords From Across Canada How They Felt About This New Policy
A landlord from Ontario replied “I never knew how difficult it was for new immigrants to rent a place. This new policy sounds like a great way to help people find a new home.”
A BC landlord said “This sounds like it even the playing field for all tenant applicants.”
Nova Scotia landlords were united on this new policy being “really what Canada is all about, be fair.”
More Fairness
An Alberta landlord from Edmonton wanted to add to this new law: “It’s also important that landlords pay for the costs of all translations of the documents because we will recover the fees for this from the rent profits the Tenants will pay.”
