Toronto, ON: The Saskatchewan Landlord Association (SKLA) is the 2022 Winner of the Association Achievement of the Year Award from the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations (CFAA) for our work on amending the Saskatchewan Income Assistance (SIS) program to reinstate direct payments.

When I first joined the Association in September of 2019, one of the first meetings I went to was about the SIS program. Little did I know that it would be one of our flagship advocacy priorities for the next two years and one that I became very personally attached to. – Cameron Choquette, Chief Executive Officer of the SKLA

To prevent evictions, reduce arrears, and protect the health and safety of tenants, the Association led significant advocacy efforts to reinstate direct payments for renters. Over the course of more than two years, efforts included:

• Writing position papers and information reports to inform our members and stakeholders on program impacts
• Coordinating and participating in stakeholder meetings with organizations and municipalities from across the province
• Collecting never-before-seen rent arrear data that attempted to quantify the costs of the SIS program to rental housing providers
• Dozens of media appearances and written comments that spoke to how the SIS program wasn’t designed well

These efforts were eventually successful in November 2021 when the Ministry of Social Services amended the program to reinstate direct payment for high needs clients.

The Association believes that adequate income assistance benefits are crucial for the health and wellbeing of Saskatchewan’s low-income individuals and families. These benefits, combined the adequate housing and support services, give everyone an opportunity to improve their quality of life.

We’re extremely proud to receive this award from CFAA and even more proud of the work that Cameron did to see the SIS program amended. His leadership and dedication to such a complex and emotionally-taxing file is commendable. – Ramona Maraj, SKLA Board Chair

Pictured from L-R: Operations Coordinator Landon Field, Board Chair Ramona Maraj, Vice Chair Sheena Keslick, and Chief Executive Officer Cameron Choquette