Nova Scotia amends Residential Tenancies Program One-window guide for EV charger grants opens

Effective February 3, 2023, landlords in Nova Scotia can raise rents on any day of the year and not just on the anniversary of the day the lease began. Additionally, they cannot raise rent more than once in a 12-month period and must continue to give at least four months notice before rent can be raised.

On the privacy front, Nova Scotia landlords are now required to give a tenant 24 hours notice before entering the unit, even if the tenant has given notice to end the lease. Landlords can only enter a unit without notice if there is an emergency.

“We listened to feedback from tenants and landlords and are making changes to the program that will provide flexibility and more clarity to processes,” said Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services. “With any change, we consider the needs of both tenants and landlords – and we continue to look for ways to help them know and understand their rights and responsibilities.”

Other changes include:

• landlords cannot charge tenants different amounts for different rental terms. For example, they can’t charge different amounts for a year-to-year, month-to-month or fixed-term lease.

• a lease can be terminated if a tenant sublets a unit without the landlord’s permission.

More information on Nova Scotia residential tenancy laws, rights, responsibilities, and other information can be found at: https:// beta.novascotia.ca/programs-and-services/ residential-tenancies-program.

Prospective investors in electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment can now look to a one-window guide of the grants available through various Canadian government programs. The new online reference hub has been designed to steer businesses, not-forprofit groups and municipalities to applicable options coordinated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) or designated delivery agents of the zeroemission vehicle infrastructure program (ZEVIP).

Current programs are targeted to a range of potential proponents from landlords seeking to install EV charging stations in commercial or multifamily buildings to developers of commercial-scale EV charging operations to municipalities investing in zero-emission transit fleets. The new reference hub includes a basic questionnaire to help identify the best fit for funding candidates’ needs, and provides a gateway to details and application processes for each program.

“Investments in infrastructure that accelerate Canada’s transition toward net-zero are a key element of the CIB’s mandate,” affirms Ehren Cory, chief executive officer of Canada Infrastructure Bank, which collaborated with NRCan in the development of the online guide.

The site also features a portal for recruiting organizations potentially positioned to coordinate and deliver ZEVIP funding in their communities or regions. For EV drivers, it offers a locator app to identify EV charging and alternative fuelling stations throughout Canada and the United States.