Alberta landlords appear confident that they will not be facing rent controls, despite what appears to be sharp left turn by the province’s Conservative government.

This month Alberta premier Alison Redford tabled her first budget and it placed a fresh emphasis on social assistance and big-time spending. Among other items, the $41.1 billion in spending this year boosted money for education and health care, expanded day care and raised welfare payments by a third. In all, it will result in an estimated $900 million deficit.

"We haven't heard anything about rent controls coming," said Gerry Baxter, executive director of the Calgary Residential Rental Association, whose members own or control an estimated 50,000 rental units.

Baxter said Alberta's biggest city is doing fine without rent controls, one of the few cities in Canada without them.

His members are citing a 3 per cent rental vacancy rate. A recent survey of members showed that the turnover in apartments last year was 43 per cent and the main two reasons why people left a rental apartment were either to buy a home or move to a new job, Baxter said.

"Rental increases didn't register as a factor," he said,

In Alberta, there is no limit on how much rent can be increased. Rent can only be increased, however, if there has not been a rent increase within the previous 365 days or since the start of the tenancy, whichever is later. Before the rent can be increased the landlord must give the following written notice:

• weekly: 12 full tenancy weeks

• monthly: 3 full tenancy months

• any other periodic tenancy: 90 days

For mobile home sites, 180 days notice of a rental increase must be given by the landlord.