By Government of Saskatchewan

Province Strengthens Protection For Victims Of Sexual Violence

Sep 14, 2021 | 9:20 AM

On September 15, 2021, changes to legislation that support victims fleeing sexual violence will come 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.

“We are determined to protect survivors of sexual violence,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said. “These are important changes to help victims know that they are safe. Leaving your home can be complicated, and we don’t want anything to prevent a victim from being able to remove themselves from a dangerous situation.”

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. To access these protections, tenants 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.

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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.