Student Legal Services of Edmonton

09/22/2023

The Legal Education & Reform team within SLS is proud to release their latest reform project to the public: a report and recommendations to Edmonton City Council regarding the implementation of a residential rental licensing program. You can find the full report on our website using the following link:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b19871eee1759f2bea0f69b/t/650db4a761691c5d4abe52f9/1695397032506/The+Business+of+Housing+-+Report+%26+Recommendations.pdf

Residential rental licensing is a type of program that requires landlords to register and actively maintain their rental properties in accordance with the applicable health and safety standards, thus ensuring both the wellbeing of tenants and the quality of the municipality’s housing stock. Essentially, residential rental licensing programs encourage municipalities to adopt a more business-minded approach to rental properties; the underlying logic is that since other types of business owners are required to obtain a licence and pass certain health and safety inspections on a regular basis, so too should landlords. The fact that landlords are in the business of renting out properties intended to become tenants’ homes is all the more reason to ensure that tenants are indeed receiving the goods and services for which they pay and depend upon.

By requiring landlords to register in such a program, municipalities can then use that data to create a publicly accessible database outlining whether minimum health and safety standards are being met and providing tenants with additional resources in the event that those standards are not being met. The data collected through this type of program could also provide local officials with the information needed to better identify problems arising from the financialization of housing, such as money laundering and affordability concerns. This data could also provide more transparency for prospective tenants, thus giving us the tools to bring Canada closer to realizing its recent declaration that adequate housing is a fundamental human right.

05/17/2023

While we are glad to see the overall number of tickets and bans issued against unhoused and Indigenous community members decreasing, those communities nevertheless remain disproportionately targeted by the City of Edmonton's transit bylaws.

We continue to strongly encourage the City of Edmonton to develop alternative measures of addressing safety and comfort concerns on public transit in a manner that doesn't perpetuate colonial violence and the criminalization of poverty.

Indigenous people received 58 per cent of tickets issued on and around Edmonton transit in 2020 and 2021 compared to 27 per cent to white people, data released Tuesday shows.

04/03/2023

Are you a beleaguered law student who’s volunteered for any of the SLS projects this year? Well, guess what, buddy. We’re throwing a party this Friday just for YOU! Be there (or don’t, we’re not the cops).

SLS volunteers, join us for our year-end volunteer appreciation party!! 2 free drinks!! Food!! Fun!!

09/20/2022

Student Legal Services is having a BAKE SALE tomorrow at the couches in front of the Library in the Law Centre from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

All proceeds will be going towards the Old Strathcona Youth Society. Please bring some change and get some yummy home cooked goods to support youth in our community!

09/15/2022

Due to technical difficulties, Student Legal Services had to create a new page! Please give us a follow for updates.