Rental housing is important to meet the needs of a diverse population and is vital to a healthy economy. It also allows moderate-income households to stay in the City because household incomes of renters are typically half that of owners.
Vancouver has the tightest rental market and one of the lowest vacancy rates in Canada, which over the last three years has averaged 0.9%.
With a growing population, limited increases in income, and a limited supply of new, purpose-built rental housing in recent decades, the need for rental housing has grown significantly.
What's happeningTell us what you think
Provide comments on proposed changes to the Secured Rental Policy for Low-Density Transition Areas (areas zoned RS or RT) until October 4.
Recent updates
Council update on proposed zoning changes to C-2 Commercial Areas
Council referred the proposed zoning changed to C-2 Commercial Areas PDF file (9 MB) back to staff until Council has considered the forthcoming report regarding amendments to the Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan to include the C-2 zones, and following further public consultation through the Vancouver Plan in the fall of 2020, including at the neighbourhood level. Read more information on Council’s decision in the public hearing minutes PDF file (119 KB).
The proposed zoning changes would enable secured rental housing to be developed up to 6 storeys in select C-2 commercial areas. These changes would apply to C-2 commercial areas outside of recently approved community plans or in areas where community planning processes are currently in progress. Staff are also proposing minor changes for all new development in C-2 commercial areas city-wide.
Staff are assessing the timeline for a potential report back to Council on the amendments to the C-2, C-2B, C-2C, and C-2C1 zoning districts for rental housing in relation Council direction and other housing work items. Further updates will be provided as they are available, and information will be posted online and sent to our mailing list.
The report focuses solely on Secured Rental Policy implementation in C-2 commercial areas. This report does not include any directions for Low-Density Transition Areas (RS and RT zones), as staff are working on further refinements to proposals for these areas prior to any report back to Council.
Find out more about the Secured Rental Policy implementation spring 2020 engagement
In spring 2020, we engaged with the public and stakeholders on work to advance two main actions:
- Finalizing changes to Commercial (C2) zones
- Refining policy and zoning requirements for Low Density transition ares (areas zoned RS or RT)
Previous work on the Rental Incentive Program Review
- An amended Secured Rental Policy
- Direction to implement new provincial authority for Residential Rental Tenure zoning
- Changes to our Development Cost Levy (DCL) waivers for rental housing development
- A new Below-Market Rental Housing Policy for Rezonings
- Extension of proposal deadline for the Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program
- A new Energy Plus Reinvestment Pilot to support key building and energy upgrades while keeping tenants in place
For more information, see the Council report and rental review documents below:
Questions?
Rental programs
We use the following programs and strategies to protect and increase the number of market rental homes in Vancouver.
In each section:
- Learn how each program works
- Apply to create housing through these programs
- Get resources and forms
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Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program
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Below-Market Rental Housing Policy for Rezonings
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Secured Rental Policy
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Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy and Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan
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Laneway housing
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Secondary suites in single-family areas
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Short Term Incentives for Rental Housing (STIR)
No further applications are being accepted under the pilot program at this time. Proposals were accepted during two pre-enquiry application periods between January 1 and February 16, 2018 and January 14 and February 1, 2019.