Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
Plus Size Colorblock Tank Top Buy Now
Golden Hour Men's Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch Buy Now
Carhartt Beanie Buy Now
Y2K Crop Tops Buy Now
LUENX Men's Polarized Aviators Buy Now
URAO Laptop Celeron N5095 Quad-Core Buy Now
Essentials Men's Slim Jeans Buy Now
Gold Jewelry Set 49pc Buy Now
Men's Softshell Hooded Jacket Buy Now
Summer Vacation Resort Maxi Dresses Buy Now
Business Dress Shirts Wrinkle Free Buy Now
Fashion Casual Slim Fit Sweater Buy Now
Smartwatch Fitness Tracker for Men Buy Now
QINSEN Square Neck Tank Top Buy Now
ALDO Gloadithh Tote Buy Now
COOFANDY Mens Short Sleeve Shirts Buy Now
Whiskey Smoker Kit Buy Now
Comfort Flex Waist Jean Buy Now
Belted Wyoming Cargo Short Buy Now
Michael Kors Oversized Runway Watch Buy Now
Plus Size Colorblock Tank Top Buy Now
Golden Hour Men's Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch Buy Now
Carhartt Beanie Buy Now
Y2K Crop Tops Buy Now
LUENX Men's Polarized Aviators Buy Now
URAO Laptop Celeron N5095 Quad-Core Buy Now
Essentials Men's Slim Jeans Buy Now
Gold Jewelry Set 49pc Buy Now
Men's Softshell Hooded Jacket Buy Now
Summer Vacation Resort Maxi Dresses Buy Now
MoreBack to News Headlines
Are some rents in Canada part of a price-fixing scheme?

Are some rents in Canada part of a price-fixing scheme?

CBC
Thursday, October 31, 2024 8:20 AM GMT

Cynthia Black believes her rent has been rigged.

Since 2022, the Toronto resident says she has twice faced annual rent increases of either seven or 11 per cent — depending on the lease type her household was offered — in two Livmore buildings owned by GWL Realty Advisors, a division of Canada Life.

The buildings were constructed after 2018, which means they are exempt from Ontario rent controls, which are currently set at an annual increase of 2.5 per cent. 

"The hikes have never made any sense. And when myself and other tenants sat down and asked [GWLRA] to please stop raising rents so high, they told us they use software called YieldStar to help determine our rents," she told CBC's The National.

Black had never heard of YieldStar and says she didn't think much of it.

"I wasn't able to negotiate my rent in any way," Black said.

But in June, she says YieldStar came up again — only this time it was in the news, as the FBI was investigating the company that owns it, RealPage, and landlords who use it for alleged collusion, price-fixing and artificially inflating rents across the U.S.

That investigation ultimately led the U.S. Department of Justice to announce a lawsuit against RealPage this past August. In a statement, the DOJ said, "Americans should not have to pay more in rent simply because a company has found a new way to scheme with landlords to break the law."

The DOJ says YieldStar allows landlords to use "mathematical algorithms to align their rents."

The DOJ further alleges the software is developed and sold to allow landlords to "sidestep vigorous competition in the market. Competing landlords agree to submit to RealPage, on a daily basis, their most sensitive, non-public information, including rental rates, lease terms and projected vacancies. The algorithm then takes that information and sends real-time pricing back to competing landlords." 

According to RealPage promotional material, "by leveraging real-time lease-transaction data, YieldStar monitors price shifts daily, providing greater precision for optimum pricing."

Black told CBC News she was furious when she realized what was happening.

"How dare my landlord be using this software that's under investigation for price-fixing in the States," she said. 

When CBC first approached GWLRA — which owns thousands of properties across Canada — in early October to learn more about its use of YieldStar, the company would not respond to questions about the software. GWLRA did, however, emphasize that it has only raised rents at a rate of 3.5 per cent per year, on average, across its real estate portfolio. 

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Can the G7 leaders still find anything to agree about?

Fifty years ago this fall the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States met in a castle outside Paris for three days of meetings, at the conclusion of which they issued the Declaration of Rambouillet, a 15-point statement of principles and commitments.

'It's escalating every minute': Iranian woman living in N.L. watches conflict with worry

An Iranian woman living in Newfoundland and Labrador says she's watching attacks between Israel and Iran with worry for her family back home.

Dramatic video captures school bus explosion in Hammonds Plains

Chase Valiant was in the middle of making an afternoon snack when his day took a dramatic turn.

Province paid Dr. John Dornan nearly $1.8M in settlement over firing as Horizon CEO

The provincial government ended up reaching a $1.8-million settlement with now-Health Minister Dr. John Dornan over his firing as the head of Horizon Health Network following the death of a Fredericton ER patient.

Montreal commuter seeks class action against public transit agency over labour strike

An authorization request to launch a class-action lawsuit against Montreal's public transit agency was filed in Quebec Superior Court Friday.

Thompson says finding hotel rooms for evacuees 'difficult' as Manitoba mulls invoking emergency powers

The City of Thompson says moving wildfire evacuees from its congregate shelter to hotel lodgings should be "a top priority," but that finding accommodations is hard this time of the year.

Family rushes to India to formally identify Regina father killed in Air India crash

The family of a Saskatchewan man says he died in the crash of an Air India plane bound for London on Thursday.

Airbnb says thousands of B.C. reservations at risk, blames 'rushed' rental rules

Short-term vacation rental platform Airbnb said Friday that "thousands" of reservations in British Columbia are at risk of cancellation, accusing the province of rushing out regulations as it cracked down on the industry.

Protester gets on Ford Fest stage in Etobicoke at annual Ontario PC event

A protester made it onto the stage at a Ford Fest event in Etobicoke organized by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party on Friday.

New patient targets for family doctors could hurt P.E.I.'s reputation, says national college

The College of Family Physicians of Canada is raising concerns over new targets for family doctors on P.E.I. and calling on all parties to work together to find a solution.

Hanlan's Beach is getting a bubble zone to keep away motorized boats and vehicles

Toronto police's marine unit will create a bubble zone around Hanlan's Beach as a pilot project this summer to improve safety for swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders.

Fort Good Hope N.W.T man sentenced to 7 years in prison for manslaughter

An N.W.T judge has sentenced a man from Fort Good Hope to seven years in prison for killing another man from the community last year.

Most Albertans will have to pay for COVID-19 shots starting this fall, province says

Alberta's government says residents who are not immunocompromised or on social programs will soon have to pay to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
Experts say Sask. wildfires could remain ablaze until snowfall

Wildfires continue to rage in northern Saskatchewan as the province faces its worst fire season in more than a decade.

What's at the heart of Sask.'s early wildfire season? Humans, in more ways than one

Four in five of the wildfires so far in Saskatchewan this year have been caused by humans — the vast majority of them accidentally. But experts say part of the reason they've spread so far, so fast, is another human factor: climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels.

Border city of Lloydminster united through gardening

Just a block away from the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan there's a garden uniting green thumbs in Lloydminster. 

Rare spirit bear cub living near B.C. highway stirs excitement, concern, as word of its existence spreads

Shelley Lindaas has long dreamed of seeing a Kermode bear cub in person.

'He did not deserve this,' says friend of Erixon Kabera after SIU clears officers who killed him

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) report outlining the events leading to the death of Erixon Kabera answered some questions for his family and friends, but many remain.

'Unacceptable': Some of Windsor's parking meters are wrong — but people are still getting tickets

Syed Hassan says he doesn't like to complain much. But when his wife told him she got a parking ticket on Thursday night, he knew he needed to speak out. 

Sex assault trial reforms followed Ghomeshi case. Some experts worry Hockey Canada trial could spark more

Following the public outcry over the Jian Ghomeshi case, some legal scholars and sexual assault survivor advocates lauded changes made to the Criminal Code that would prevent defence lawyers from surprising complainants at trial with past emails or text messages with the defendant.

The word 'family' has caused controversy for this Ontario school board. Here's why

The Waterloo Region District School Board has been talking a lot about the word "family" this month.

As some restaurants ditch seed oils for beef tallow, UPEI prof warns it's no health upgrade

At Pedro's Island Eatery in North Rustico, owner Pedro Gameiro has long been not a fan of using seed oils for frying

Yukon First Nations graduation turns 50

The parking lot of the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse was full on Friday, and the building surrounded by well-dressed young people and their proud families. Despite the smoky conditions in the city, there was much to celebrate. 

Toronto should allow sixplexes to bring 'gentle density' to city, council committee says

Toronto has moved one step closer to allowing fiveplexes and sixplexes in neighbourhoods across the city.

Why removing a dead deer from the Thames River wasn't a situation of passing the buck

Warning: Some readers may find photos in this story distressing.

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us