By Alana Ring-Woodard
With COVID-19 pandemic, RentSmart courses are being rescheduled or cancelled at this time, but we continue to plan for future dates. Provincial coordinators along with RentSmart BC are exploring virtual RentSmart Delivery and will keep educators posted.
North End Community Renewal staff are currently working remotely from home till May 29th at this time and continue to run programs to the best of their ability. Here is some COVID-19 information related to Manitoba.
Manitoba COVID-19 updates and information:
- Manitoba to postpone eviction hearings and freeze rent increases
- Residential Tenancies Branch
- The Manitoba Human Rights Commission: Discrimination based on COVID-19
- Province Launches Online Tool to Connect Volunteers Safely with Manitobans Needing Assistance
- From Manitoba Hydro: We anticipate that the COVID-19 pandemic will affect some of you financially. As a result, we have discontinued all service disconnections related to overdue accounts until further notice. If you are unable to make payments on your Manitoba Hydro account by the due date, contact us to make a payment arrangement. Arrangements can be made through MyBill, by emailing credit@hydro.mb.ca, or by calling 1-204-480-5900 (toll-free at 1-888-624-9376). A credit representative will be help you by making a payment plan that fits your needs and will refer you to programs that we and other community partners offer.
- City of Winnipeg, Water and Waste Department: While there have been some statements from the department that it will suspend disconnection orders due to non-payment, the City has yet to make this public. Please contact your local Councillor and press the Mayor for a resolution.
RentSmart Update:
Manitoba hosted two RentSmart Educator Courses in March, 2020. Susana Guardado, Director of Education and Training from BC, facilitated the RentSmart Educator training.
Congratulations to our 26 new educators representing various organizations throughout our Province!
A big ‘Thank You’ to Susana, who I now deem a Manitoba graduate of winter driving as she made it to Dauphin and back in winter conditions and roads being closed.
Dauphin, MB – 13 Graduates
Winnipeg,MB – 13 Graduates
Organizations represented in the March 2020 trainings:
BRANDON
Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation
John Howard Society
Westman Youth for Christ
DAUPHIN
Anicinabe Housing Corporation
Dauphin Friendship Centre
Dauphin Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation
CMHA
Manitoba Housing
Parkland Crossing
Prairie Mountain Health
FLIN FLON
Flin Flon Aboriginal Friendship Centre
Flin Flon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation
Flin Flon Neighbourhood Revitalization
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation (PCRC)
SELKIRK
Nova House Inc.
SWAN RIVER
Elbert Chartrand/Friendship Centre
THE PAS
Oscars Place
The Pas Manitoba Friendship Centre
WINNIPEG
Build Inc.
Corrections – Stony Mountain Institution
Eagle Urban Transition Center (EUTC) -Project Manitouwabi
Mount Carmel Clinic – Wiisocotatiwin/ACT Program
Resource Assistance for Youth, Inc (RAY)
To date Manitoba has graduated 72 educators over the last 3 years.
There are discussions of another training to be held in the fall, more details to follow, in the upcoming months.
As Manitoba continues to do outreach to promote and advertise RentSmart, we are beginning to receive more inquiries and interest in the curriculum.