Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. to extend rent freeze through 2021

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Mar, 2021 11:39 PM
  • B.C. to extend rent freeze through 2021

The British Columbia government says it will introduce legislative changes to extend a rent freeze through the end of the year to stop illegal "renovictions" and improve the dispute resolution process for tenants and landlords.

The province has already introduced and extended a rent freeze during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it says in a news release Monday that the new legislative changes will keep it in place through Dec. 31.

It says tenants can disregard any notice of a rent increase they've received that would have taken effect before Jan. 1, 2022, and starting next year rent hikes will be capped at the rate of inflation.

The release says before the NDP government took power in 2017, the maximum allowable rent increase was as high as 4.3 per cent, well above inflation.

The province also says the legislative changes mean tenants will no longer face so-called renovictions, or eviction notices for "phoney" renovations aimed at driving out long-term tenants and jacking up the rent.

Landlords will be required to apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch before they can end a tenancy agreement for renovations, and they will also not be able to evict tenants for renovations that are not substantial or do not require the unit to be vacant.

The changes, if passed, will come into effect on July 1 and are in addition to earlier protections introduced in 2018.

The province also says it's improving fairness in the residential tenancy dispute resolution process by expanding grounds for the Residential Tenancy Branch to review arbitrator decisions.

"We know many people who rent in our communities have been challenged by high rents," says Spencer Chandra Herbert, the legislature member for Vancouver-West End, in the news release.

"We know there's more to do, but with these new changes, we're continuing to make progress."

MORE National ARTICLES

MPs to examine safety of travellers in quarantine

MPs to examine safety of travellers in quarantine
Liberal MP John McKay, the committee chairman, said Monday the hearing could take place this week but cautioned it would be a challenge to schedule witnesses in time.

MPs to examine safety of travellers in quarantine

How effective is the AstraZeneca vaccine?

How effective is the AstraZeneca vaccine?
Health Canada said Friday that real-world data from countries already using the product suggest it is safe and effective among older age groups.

How effective is the AstraZeneca vaccine?

UPDATE: Panorama Ridge Secondary in Surrey on lockdown after an assault with a weapon

UPDATE: Panorama Ridge Secondary in Surrey on lockdown after an assault with a weapon
It is not known what type of weapon was involved in the attack. The person that was injured was taken to hospital and is in stable condition.

UPDATE: Panorama Ridge Secondary in Surrey on lockdown after an assault with a weapon

Meng's lawyer says case against her 'unreliable'

Meng's lawyer says case against her 'unreliable'
Meng was arrested at Vancouver's airport in 2018 on a request by U.S. officials who allege she misrepresented the relationship between Huawei and Skycom, causing HSBC to violate U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Meng's lawyer says case against her 'unreliable'

Former hotel in Vancouver is slated for housing

Former hotel in Vancouver is slated for housing
The City of Vancouver, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. and the federal government say the former Days Inn on Kingsway will be ready to house people in November.

Former hotel in Vancouver is slated for housing

B.C. RCMP investigate child medical distress call

B.C. RCMP investigate child medical distress call
They say the child was taken to a regional hospital where he was in critical condition and not expected to survive.

B.C. RCMP investigate child medical distress call

PrevNext