British Columbia’s Rental Housing Task Force will stop in Prince George June 20.
The task force is leading a review of the provincial tenancy laws. The focus will be on both renters and rental housing providers. The public 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. Our laws haven’t kept up with the changing housing market, and that has left both renters and rental housing providers vulnerable,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA for Vancouver-West End, and Rental Housing Task Force chair. “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.”
In April 2018, Premier John Horgan appointed Chandra Herbert as his advisor on rental housing, and launched the three-member bipartisan task force. The 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, and aims to modernize and balance B.C.’s tenancy laws.
The Prince George session will be held June 20 in the Connaught Youth Centre gymnasium, 1491 17 Avenue from 6-9 p.m.
