The province is giving low-income people more money to cover their rent, but some say with a housing crisis underway, it's not nearly enough.

Combined allowances and supplements are going up by amounts ranging from $11 to $96 a month, the Saskatchewan government announced this week. 

Some landlords in Regina say they'll have to take units off the market if they don't get more help from the provincial government.
(Kevin O'Connor/CBC)

In Saskatoon, people on welfare say the extra money will help, but it won't be nearly enough to cover their steep rent increases.

John Blascoe and his wife, who both have disabilities and live on welfare, are moving into a smaller, cheaper apartment in a rougher part of town.

They say they have no choice. The rent in their old place was going up by $234 a month.

According to the government, with the increase announced Wednesday, the Blascoes would get, at most, roughly $35 extra.

"Yeah, thank you very much for the crumbs," Blascoe said.

Landlords are also calling the increases inadequate.

Colleen Hamilton, who manages an apartment building in Saskatoon's inner city, said she has seen tenants evicted for being as little as $40 behind on their rent.

Meanwhile, a group of landlords in Regina who say that city is heading towards a housing crisis argues a 100 per cent increase in shelter rates is needed.

Regina and Partners Landlord Association vice-president Steve Bauer says maintenance costs are rising faster than shelter assistance rates, making it hard to keep rental homes in good condition.

'We're going to have people on the streets'

Unless things change, some owners will take units off the market, Bauer said.

"If this rental market shrinks, what's going to happen is we're going to have people on the streets," he said.

"It wouldn't take very much for the government to help us out with some good programs and some incentives. Help us out, give us some incentives to stay in the business."

One of their proposals is for the government to guarantee repairs up to $5,000 because damage deposits often don't cover the cost of fixing rental units.

They hope to meet with officials to give them more ideas in mid-September.