Protecting renters and rental housing

Here are resources to help you find rental housing.

City-owned market rental housing

The City owns a limited number of properties with market rental housing.

• Review listings

Other ways to search for market rental housing

• Online and newspaper classified ads
• Property management company listings
• Community notice boards
• Building signs
• Word of mouth in your community and social circle

Social and co-op housing

• Apply for social housing with BC Housing  
• Find a co-op with the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC 

If your building is being redeveloped under a development permit, the owners or developers must provide either of the following:

• A tenant relocation plan, describing how the landlord or developer will help renters who need to move; or
• A tenant impact statement in cases where renters are able to remain on site during renovations, committing the landlord or developer to completing renovations while renters remain on site if the work does not require renters to move out

A tenant relocation plan or tenant impact statement is required under our Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy, which includes most areas of the city.

Confirm if you are protected by the policy

About the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy

The policy:

• Applies to rezoning and development applications received from February 15, 2016 onward
• Replaces the City's Rate of Change Guidelines (which applies to development applications received before February 15, 2016)
• Supplements the BC Residential Tenancy Act

Related documents

• Tenant Relocation and Protection Guidelines  (300 KB)
• Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy  (420 KB)
• Council report  (570 KB)
• Staff presentation  (5 MB)

Your landlord must provide you with:

• Sufficient notice to end tenancy (4 months)
   Notices can only be given once all permits have been issued.
• Timely information, starting before or when the landlord applies for redevelopment 
• Relocation assistance, including:
  • Free rent or compensation based on the length of tenancy
  • Assistance with moving costs
  • Assistance identifying 3 or more places to move if requested
  • In some cases, the right to return to a unit in the redeveloped building at a discounted new rent

Get details on your rights

Apply for dispute resolution through the Provincial Residential Tenancy Branch.

Dispute resolution is similar to court, but different in some important ways:

• Hearings are almost always held over the phone.
• Most tenants don't require the assistance of a lawyer.
• The person who runs a dispute resolution hearing, an “arbitrator”, acts similarly to a judge. They listen to both parties, consider the evidence, apply the law, and make a decision.

After the hearing, both the tenant and landlord must follow the arbitrator’s orders.

The standard application fee for dispute resolution is $100. Low-income tenants may not have to pay the fee at all.

Get more information on dispute resolution

• Residential Tenancy Branch  
• Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)  

To support Vancouver renters, we created an online searchable database of all buildings with maintenance, health, or safety issues.

The purpose of the database is to:

• Help renters make better decisions about where they live
• Motivate property owners and landlords to keep their properties in good order for renters

Search for a specific building by address

Browse a list and map of all buildings with issues

• Learn tenant and landlord rights and responsibilities under the BC Residential Tenancy Act  
• Get tenant information and representation from the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre  
• Take the free online course Renting it Right  

In April 2019, City staff will report to Council on creating a Renters Office.

A Renters Office will help us provide renters with timely information and support in exercising their tenancy rights under Provincial and City policies.

It can also:

• Track, monitor, and report on the state of renters 
• Provide a central point of coordination on renter issues and respond to renter concerns and questions 
• Improve legal advocacy and support services for renters
• Co-ordinate and collaborate with City departments to improve services, access to information, and engagement between renters and the City
• Provide proactive outreach and education for renters and landlords
• Eliminate barriers for renters trying to access supports

A Renters Advocacy and Support Services Officer was hired in January 2019. 

On December 4, 2018, Council adopted a motion directing staff to review and amend the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy.

On February 27, 2019, City staff presented to Council with an update on work plan and timeline.

Through the review being presented in June 2019, staff will explore:

• Right of first refusal with increased affordability for vulnerable tenants
• Developing a criteria and an assessment tool to define vulnerable tenants
• Adding a temporary relocation option for renovictions
• Increasing communication and outreach between landlords and tenants, as well as increasing staff oversight
• Developing options for social housing providers that focus on rehousing rather than compensation

Review the February 27 staff presentation to Council PDF file (2 MB) on the Tenant Relocation and Protection policy. 

Questions? Email housingpolicy@vancouver.ca.