Rent prices in the Lakeland have fallen so sharply over the past while that it’s becoming a better deal than the local social housing programs.
Social housing rules are strictly tied to 30% of a tenant’s income and there is no means to change that. Finding cheaper rent  in the community is a relatively simple task these days meaning more and more occupants are moving out. Bonnyville has 7 vacant units at the moment, a number they’ve never seen before. Cold Lake has 9 which is uncharted territory for them as well.
Councillor Ray Prevost presented the information to Bonnyville town council yesterday, adding the social housing program is losing considerable amounts of money. The program will have to take money out of savings into their general account to keep running.