REGINA - Monday, several changes to legislation that support victims fleeing sexual violence came into force.
The new amendments, laid out in The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act, 2021 and The Residential Tenancies Amendment Regulations, 2021, allow victims of sexual violence to end a fixed-term lease by providing 28-days' notice to their landlord.
The changes enable victims of sexual violence to escape dangerous living situations by terminating their lease early without paying financial penalties that would otherwise arise from their early termination. Tenants who want to take advantage of the protections offered by the legislation must serve a notice to end the tenancy and a certificate from Victims Services to their landlord.
The amendments mirror recent changes to The Saskatchewan Employment Act, which extended protections for victims of interpersonal violence to victims of sexual violence.
These changes include revisions to the Standard Conditions of a Tenancy Agreement that reflect the updated legislation. Landlords and tenants looking for more details on how these changes will affect them can find information, forms and documents online at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/ort.
