The Saskatchewan Landlord Association held its Annual General Meeting over Zoom on Wednesday, May 19, 2022. Agenda items included the Annual Report, approving the financial statements, the Board of Directors election results, and recognizing the board members who will not be returning for the 2022-23 session.

The Association published its 2021 Annual Report. The report focuses on four Key Impact Areas the Association directs attention to and resources throughout the year.

1. Annual Report

Key Impact Area 1: Industry Awareness

Winner of the 2022 CFAA Association Achievement of the Year Award. We’re proud to receive this award in recognition of our work on the SIS program over the past two years. This award demonstrates that a small Association can punch above its weight and make meaningful impacts at an industry level.

Growing our Digital Presence. Our digital presence increased by 35% in 2021, with new followers coming from both the industry and the general public. Our presence focuses on providing practical information, advertising Association services, and promoting advocacy initiatives and media exposure.

Public Awareness. Our CEO Cameron Choquette has a strong public presence across social media and through his regular appearances across various media outlets. He is pictured below alongside Ron Quaroni, during a recent episode of the Saskatchewan Real Estate podcast.

Saskatchewan Housing Continuum Network. We solidified our relationships with a number of industry partners, most notably with the creation of the Saskatchewan Housing Continuum Network. Composed of the organizations below, the Network advocates for a healthy and diverse housing continuum in our province.

Key Impact Area 2: Advocacy

Reinstating Direct Payments for High Needs SIS Clients. After two years of lobbying, we were successful in having direct payment reinstated for high-needs SIS clients. Although this isn’t the exact solution we were looking for, it will help the most vulnerable and provide some relief for rental housing providers who rent to SIS clients.

Amendments to Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. In the latter part of 2021, the RTA amendments received royal assent and were implemented at the ORT. We continue to observe how these amendments are unfolding at the ORT and regularly provide feedback on the RTA.

ORT Online Launch. After several years of campaigning, we were pleased to see the Government of Saskatchewan launch the ORT online system. While we have observed some complications, we are in full support of this system and will be closely monitoring processing and hearing timelines to ensure efficiency for our members.

Saskatchewan’s Current Housing Continuum. In partnership with the Saskatchewan Housing Continuum Network, we launched a report entitled Saskatchewan’s Current Housing Continuum. The report outlined how the housing industry needs an additional 100,000 units over the next eight years, to accommodate future population growth. Rental housing will be a key component of these additional units and the Association will be working closely with governments to advance public policy solutions that support housing development.

Key Impact Area 3: Member Services

2021 Rental Housing Awards. In 2021 we were so proud to launch our first-ever rental housing awards program, which recognized rental housing providers and their employees across nine categories.

Rental Housing Bootcamp. Launched in 2021, this new educational series provides relevant information on a variety of topics, some of which are still under development. Module 1 is The Need to Know Guide to Tenancy Law and has been praised by participants for its practical information.

Webinars. To allow members from across the province to participate in Association activities, we hosted a number of webinars over the past year. Topics ranged from demos on the ORT online system to new carbon monoxide and smoke alarm regulations.

Key Impact Area 4: Organizational Excellence

Team Expansion. To bolster our digital presence and better serve our members, we’ve invested in additional team members over the past year. Their duties help support our CEO and allow him to better focus his time on strategic items and advocacy initiatives.

Revenue Diversification. To reduce our reliance on membership fees, we’ve actively reviewed our revenue sources and are now generating revenue through corporate sponsorships, resource sales, and hosting events. This strategy will become more robust in the coming years as we grow our program and service offerings.

Board Governance. Our committees were streamlined over the past year to reduce administrative time and bolster their value proposition. Our three standing committees are Stakeholder Relations, Membership & Education, and Governance & Finance.

2. Board Election Results

Following the departure of two board members during the year, the association is welcoming a larger-than-normal amount of new directors. This is an exciting time for the association as we prepare for a 30th anniversary in 2023!

The newly elected directors are: Amanda Bolan (K+A Capital), Eric Stalwick (Weidner), Gary Redl (Park View Real Estate Investment), Kristan Larre (Broadstreeet), and Philippe Chagnon (Coldwell Banker Signature).

The directors that were re-elected to the board are: Laura Mc Nern (North Prairie), Jeff Trapp (Journeypoint), Louise Elsey (Avenue Living), and Donna Singbeil (ICR Commercial Real Estate).

The directors that remained on the board are: Ruebecca Fiddler (Camponi), Tim Thompson (Stone Ridge), Lori Houle (Saskatoon Real Estate Services), Jamie Mcdougald (Deveraux), Vice-Chair Sheena Reyes-Keslick (Mainstreet), and Board Chair Ramona Maraj (Hazelview).

3. Outgoing Board Members

The association would also like to recognize the board members who left the Board of Directors and thank them for their service. Past Chair Hillary Sayed and Treasurer Tyson Almasi decided to leave the Board earlier this year. Jack Sandbrand and Ron Anspach have decided to retire from the board. Jack has served since 2013 and Ron has served since 2008.