This campaign is now closed.
The PEI legislature will debate and vote on the proposed new Residential Tenancy Act as soon as today. But the new bill still lets landlords refuse to rent to families who have companion animals, and lets them include arbitrary and unfair “no pet” clauses in rental agreements.
Please take a moment now to help. Join us in encouraging the government to amend the new bill to protect families with pets from facing discrimination in rental housing.
Companion animals are important members of families across PEI. The already-difficult task of finding housing on the island is being made even more challenging for families who share their lives with cats and dogs. Without new laws protecting families with pets, companion animals are at risk of being abandoned, surrendered, and euthanized.
We’re asking Islanders to urgently call Premier Dennis King and Matthew Mackay, the Minister of Social Development and Housing, to let them know that protecting families with companion animals is important to you.
Hon. Matthew Mackay
Minister of Social Development and Housing
902-368-4930
[email protected]
Premier Dennis King
Premier of Prince Edward Island
902-368-4400
[email protected]
Things you can mention include:
- Request that the Premier and Minister include protections in the Residential Tenancy Act that prohibit landlords from refusing families with pets, and prohibiting “no pet” clauses in tenancy agreements.
- Share your personal story about a challenge you faced in finding a home to rent with your companion animal.
- Point out how other provinces have provisions banning “no pet” clauses. Ontario has banned “no pet” clauses in leases since 1997.
- Discuss how finding rental housing in PEI has become increasingly difficult. For families with companion animals, this situation is even more challenging, and people are often confronted with the heartbreaking decision of having to surrender their cat or dog, whom they consider to be a part of their family, in order to afford a roof over their head. The presence of no-pet provisions disproportionately affects low-income families.
- Highlight how the PEI Humane Society shelter has seen a 134 percent increase in the number of animal surrenders in 2022. Many animals that are being brought to the Humane Society are well-loved, but their owners have run out of options while seeking safe and affordable rental housing.
- And let them know that Islanders love their pets and an amendment to ban arbitrary and unfair “no pet” clauses in rental agreements would be well received.
We need to demonstrate support for amendments to the bill right away, because the bill could be voted on as soon as today. Please make a call.
Contact us if you have any questions. And please ask your friends to make a call too.
