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City Council approves $500,000 in grant funding to support renters in Vancouver

February 27 2025 –

Today, Vancouver City Council approved $500,000 in grants for organizations that support Vancouver renters, focusing on the needs of low-income and equity-denied residents. These Renter Services Grants advance the City of Vancouver’s commitment to supporting renters and building inclusive and supportive communities.

Through the Renter Services Grants, $500,000 has been allocated to 14 non-profit organizations to help renters secure housing and avoid displacement.  The approved grants fund projects that respond to some of the most urgent needs of vulnerable renters and that have the greatest potential for creating lasting positive change.

“The grants approved today directly support our most vulnerable renters through impactful programs,” said Mayor Ken Sim. “We're incredibly proud to support these non-profit organizations, who are doing a phenomenal job making our neighbourhoods more livable and equitable for all.”  

Funds will be used to support a wide variety of work including:  

  • Circle Of Eagles Lodge Society - $35,000 was granted to help Indigenous individuals maintain or secure housing. The project aims to address systemic barriers and improve housing stability through education and direct support.
  • Family Services of Greater Vancouver - $30,000 was granted for a project addressing the urgent housing needs of homeless and at-risk youth in Greater Vancouver. 
  • Seniors First BC Society - $35,000 was granted to support adults over 65 years of age facing precarious housing by assisting renters in understanding and asserting their rights to maintain secure and affordable housing. 
  • Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice - $30,000 was granted for addressing racism in healthcare, public services, and public life through educational workshops and renter-focused tools to support low-income Chinese seniors in Chinatown, the Downtown Eastside, and Strathcona.

“We’re grateful to the City for this support. This grant will help us continue to empower positive change in the lives of at-risk youth in Vancouver,” said Maria Howard, CEO, Family Services of Greater Vancouver. “By supporting young people to secure long-term housing at this critical stage in their lives, we are building more resilient futures—for at-risk youth and their peers—for generations to come. And that has a ripple effect across the whole community."

The grant recommendations are outlined in the following report to council (162 KB).