Downtown Edmonton building manager backtracks on $263 rent hike

Tenants of a downtown Edmonton apartment building who were worried a $263 rent hike would force them out of their homes will not see the spike in rent after all.

People who live in the MacDonald Lofts building in the area of 101 Street and 105 Avenue received a letter from the manager Friday stating Martyshuk Housing has been instructed to rescind the rent increase notice that was issued to tenants on Aug. 1.

“Rent will not be increased at this time,” the brief letter from Dave Martyshuk from Martyshuk Housing read.

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Martyshuk Housing originally said the rent increase was long overdue and the money was badly needed to pay for repairs and security.

READ MORE: Tenants will not become homeless after $263 rent hike: Edmonton building manager

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Rent at the 1913 MacDonald Lofts building was capped by the Canada Mortgage Housing Company. The cap did not allow rent to be increased by more than two per cent each year, but that rental cap is set to expire Nov. 1 which was why the company originally planned to increase rent.

Most of the people who live in the 1912 MacDonald Lofts building collect some sort of social assistance.

Watch below: The manager of a downtown apartment building is breaking his silence to Global News, defending a rent hike of hundreds of dollars. As Kendra Slugoski reports he’s insistent the higher rent won’t force people out on the street. (Filed on Aug. 11, 2016).

1:53 Manager of downtown Edmonton apartment building defends rent increases

With files from Kendra Slugoski, Global News.