The B.C. Rental Housing Task Force announced it will be touring the province in June 2018, stopping in 10 communities to engage British Columbians as it seeks to modernize provincial tenancy laws and provide safe, secure and affordable housing.
Both renters and rental housing providers will have the opportunity to provide feedback on a range of issues of importance to them by attending a regional public meeting, making a written submission and sharing their ideas via an online engagement site.
The Task Force will take an in-depth look at the issues and challenges facing renters and landlords, as well as owners of manufactured homes and home park operators. It will work throughout the summer to better understand what further changes may be needed to modernize B.C.’s tenancy laws, including:
- Consulting with the public, rental housing providers, renters, manufactured homeowners, manufactured home park owners and other stakeholders on their views and experiences with current tenancy laws and processes;
- Identifying options to improve security and fairness for both renters and rental housing providers, while addressing the challenges of affordability;
- A review of the existing laws and how they apply to different housing models; and
- Reviewing innovative approaches in other jurisdictions.
“One-and-a-half million British Columbians rent,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA for Vancouver-West End, and Rental Housing Task Force chair. “Our laws haven’t kept up with the changing housing market, and that has left both renters and rental housing providers vulnerable. Modernizing B.C.’s tenancy laws will provide more fairness for everyone, and help to ensure that rental housing providers and renters are able to plan for the future.”
“We’ve made some significant improvements in protections for landlords and renters in the past eight months. Now it is time to ask British Columbians about the issues they are still facing, and the solutions they propose,” said Ronna-Rae Leonard, MLA for Courtenay-Comox, and Rental Housing Task Force member. “Hearing from stakeholders and the public is critical to striking the right balance between rental housing providers and renters.”
“Together we can build a greater understanding of everyone’s rights and responsibilities, helping to avoid conflicts in the renter-landlord relationship,” added Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, and B.C. Rental Housing Task Force member. “Every landlord needs a renter and every renter needs a landlord. Our primary job is to create a situation where the landlord-tenant relationship can thrive.”
In April 2018, Premier John Horgan appointed Chandra Herbert as his advisor on rental housing, and launched the three-member bipartisan task force. The B.C. Rental Housing Task Force will report findings and make policy recommendations in fall 2018 to Premier Horgan, and Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
This is the first full review since 2002.
