The province will be suspending certain kinds of evictions due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The province’s office of residental tenancies (ORT) will not accept applications for eviction based on late rent or other non-urgent claims. Previous hearings for non urgent matters have been cancelled as of today.

“Under the circumstances, we want to ensure that tenants facing hardship as a result of COVID-19 can remain in their homes and follow all orders and recommendations from the Chief Medical Officer,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said in a media release. “An essential part of flattening the curve is staying home and self-isolating.  We want to provide piece of mind that those taking the necessary precautions as a result of this unprecedented situation will still have a roof over their head.”

Hearings will only take place for situations where a tenant has been locked out by a landlord, or where a landlord has been accused of not providing essential services like power or water. Also, the ORT will only be conducting eviction hearings for urgent situations where there is a potential risk to health or safety resulting from violence or damage to property.

The government release said that tenants will still be expected to pay their rent in full once the provincial state of emergency is over.

The release said the government is specifically concerned that evicted tenants will be unable to self-isolate or physically distance themselves from others, potentially increasing the risk of transmitting or contracting COVID-19.