Kendall Stelmack is able to pay her rent April 1, but is worried about what is going to happen in a few months.
Stelmack joins many Manitobans who are facing financial issues during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
She was in the middle of a job search when the first cases of COVID-19 were found in the province.
“All of a sudden this hit and I’m getting all of these notifications on my phone, like, every day my heart sinks another inch or two because this position’s closed, this position’s closed, this one is on pause due to COVID-19,” she said. “So I’m not getting anything.”
Stelmack says she doesn’t qualify for employment insurance because she lost her job before COVID-19 would have played a part.
She plans on talking to her landlord about options but right now is relying on help from family.
“I kind of go up and down during the day. There’s some parts of the day I’m definitely stressed out, ready to cry, ready to have a panic attack or anxiety attack,” she said.
“Even if they made rent like half the price just for a little bit while this is going down, like, you guys make some money, we aren’t stressed out. We will work with you if you work with us.”
Avrom Charach from the Professional Property Managers Association of Manitoba says the organization wants more supports in place to help landlords and tenants.
“It is tough and most of us in the province want to be good corporate citizens but we are stuck in the middle. All of these programs that have been announced so far don’t seem to apply to most of us property management companies,” he said.
Last week the provincial government announced it was freezing rent increases set to come into effect April 1 and postponing any non-urgent evictions until the end of May.
A total deferral of rent would have been too hard for many landlords and people are obligated to pay their rent, Premier Brian Pallister said on Tuesday.
The Residential Tenancies Branch does have a list of questions and answers online to help landlords and tenants understand their responsibilities.
A spokesperson from the branch says if tenants can’t pay their rent they should talk to their landlord about options like a payment plan and get the new deal in writing.
Charach says while some of the bigger companies may have a proper rainy day fund, no one anticipated this blow to the economy.
“I have spoken to a few smaller landlords, and they’re definitely concerned that they could actually lose the rental property that they bought, the one duplex or two houses, because they’re living just like their tenants – paycheque to paycheque, as in rent to rent,” he said.
“The landlord’s image has always been the rich person who takes all the money and puts it in their pocket and we really aren’t there, maybe one or two in the country, but the vast majority of us need the vast majority of that rent to pay our bills.”
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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