Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert will lead a new Rental Housing Task Force. Photo courtesy CBC.
The B.C. government has announced the creation of a task force to review the province’s rental housing regulations and come up with solutions to address affordability.
Premier John Horgan says there are roughly 1.5 million renters across the province and the supply of rental housing has not kept up with demand.
“Our laws haven’t kept up with the changing housing market, and that has left both renters and landlords vulnerable,” said Premier Horgan.
“This task force will connect with British Columbians, review laws in other jurisdictions and deliver the first full review of our residential tenancy laws in 16 years.”
The Rental Housing Task Force will be led by New Democrat member of the legislature Spencer Chandra Herbert, who will also serve as the premier’s advisor on residential tenancy, and includes New Democrat Ronna-Rae Leonard and Green MLA Adam Olsen.
“For too long, issues of security, affordability and fairness have been ignored, with the voices of renters and landlords sidelined. We need to bring renters, landlords and all those who care about rental housing to the table to improve our tenancy laws so they work better for everyone. It’s time,” Chandra Herbert said.
The task force will consult with renters, landlords and municipalities before making recommendations to modernize tenancy regulations this fall.
“Everything is on the table,” Horgan said. “This is a deliberate and direct attempt to try to find security of tenure for those who are wanting to stay in their homes and also to provide a level of comfort to those who are putting their assets into the rental market, that they’re not going to be left behind as well.”
Alexa Huffman
