Your right to legal notice under the Residential Tenancy Act
Landlords must give four months’ notice to end tenancy for demolition, renovation or repair, or conversion, and tenants have 30 days to dispute the notice. The BC Residential Tenancy Act External website, opens in new tab sets out requirements for the circumstances in which a landlord may end a tenancy for renovations, repairs, and redevelopment.
If your landlord plans to undertake major renovations or redevelop the building, they can give you a notice to end tenancy only when the following conditions are met:
The landlord must have the necessary permits and approvals before giving notice to end tenancy
The landlord must intend, in good faith, to renovate or repair the rental unit
The renovations or repairs must be so extensive that they require the rental unit to be vacant
The BC Residential Tenancy Act sets out the requirements for the minimum notice that your landlord must give you to move out in the case of renovations to or demolition of your building, depending on your type of tenancy.
Type of tenancy
Notice your landlord must give you to move out
Month-to-month
4 months notice and 1 month free rent
Fixed-term lease where you must move out at the end
None, only at the end of the fixed term
Fixed term tenancy agreements can no longer include a vacate clause requiring a tenant to move out at the end of the term unless:
a.The tenancy agreement is a sublease agreement; or
b.The tenancy is a fixed term tenancy in circumstances prescribed in section 13.1 of the Residential Tenancy Regulation. This Regulation specifies situations where a landlord or landlord’s close family member plans in good faith to occupy the rental unit.
Fixed-term lease where you can stay past the end
4 months notice, only at the end of the fixed term or after
Your right to dispute the notice
You can dispute a four month notice to end tenancy by applying for dispute resolution at the Residential Tenancy Branch within 30 days of receiving the notice.
If you dispute the notice, an arbitrator will decide whether you must move out and until they decide, the notice is put on hold.
Live in a single room accommodation (SRA) building?
Learn about your rights and relocation assistance by contacting the Downtown Eastside SRO Collaborative.
This non-profit advocacy group works to improve living conditions in SROs and prevent evictions due to redevelopment in Vancouver.
Additional assistance under Vancouver's Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy
The City's Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy was amended by Council on June 11, 2019 to provide increased compensation, support, and requirements for ongoing notice and communication in order to reduce the impact of relocation on existing tenants. The policy also includes enhanced supports prioritized based on need for vulnerable tenants.
Find more details on the amended Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy including policy requirements, tenant relocation process, and timing for implementation of the amended policy:
For information on policy requirements for applications where the policy prior to June 11, 2019 applies, see the following Tenant Relocation and Protection documents:
In some cases, tenants who relocate due to redevelopment may be eligible for assistance in addition to what is required under the Residential Tenancy Act, under the City’s Tenant Relocation, and Protection Policy. The Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy applies to rezoning and development permit applications only.
Generally, the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy applies to tenants being displaced from the following rental unit types:
Primary rental stock (purpose-built market rental housing, rental units above commercial spaces, multiple conversion dwellings with five or more units)
Non-profit social and co-op housing
Secondary rental stock (rented houses, suites, laneway houses, and condos) where there is a proposal for a new multiple dwelling of five or more units involving the consolidation of two or more property lots.
For tenants to be eligible for the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy, they must have lived in an applicable rental unit for at least one year, and in some circumstances two, prior to the rezoning or development permit application date. A number of exclusions apply.
Free rent or compensation, based on how long the tenant has been a renter at the location:
Total years rented
Minimum compensation
1 up to 5
4 months rent
5 up to 10
5 months rent
10 up to 20
6 months rent
20 up to 30
12 months rent
30 up to 40
18 months rent
More than 40
24 months rent
Assistance with moving costs:
Unit type
Minimum compensation
Studio and one-bedroom
$750 or arrangement of insured movers
Two-bedroom or more
$1,000 or arrangement of insured movers
Upon request, assistance with identifying at least 3 alternative accommodation options must be provided. Options will be provided that best meet the tenant’s identified priorities, such as:
Stated budget preference
Neighbourhood
Specific preferences (example: pet-friendly, close to schools, smoke-free)
For low income tenants or tenants with other barriers to housing, the applicant may be required to provide additional support to the tenant in securing an affordable and suitable housing option. Tenants will be provided with a Tenant Needs Survey to help determine needs, priorities, and any potential barriers to housing.
For additional assistance with relocation for tenants with relocation barriers, the applicant may be required to provide a stipend to offset relocation difficulties (up to $2,500) or pay for costs related to relocation, such as unit modifications, packing, or translation services.
Where redevelopment is for market housing, tenants will be offered right of first refusal to move into the new building with a 20% discount off starting market rents.
A tenant may enter into a mutual agreement to end tenancy with the landlord, where the owner or landlord and renter agree to the terms in which a tenancy is ended. The terms in such an agreement are negotiated between the landlord and the tenant, and do not involve the City. The Mutual Agreement to End a Tenancy (RTB-8) form External website, opens in new tab is used by the landlord and tenant to formalize such an agreement.
Where tenants are eligible for the City’s Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy, a tenant would need to decide between the City’s Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy package and the offered Mutual Agreement to End a Tenancy. To make this decision, tenants should compare what each of these packages offer and choose the option that best suits their needs. These offers should be made to the tenant at the same time and in a manner that allows them to be easily compared.
If you are unsure what protections you are eligible for, contact us at trp@vancouver.ca or 604-829-8001.
Eligible tenants do not need to wait until they receive a Notice to End Tenancy to receive assistance under the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy. Once the development application is formally submitted to the City, tenants can move out and receive compensation and assistance.
Council approved the Broadway Plan on June 22, 2022, providing a 30-year framework integrating new housing, job space, and public amenities with the new subway.
The plan includes new enhanced tenant protections and supports for renters in the plan area focused on choice for existing renters impacted by redevelopment to stay in their neighbourhoods.
The following additional requirements will apply to tenant relocation plans in the Broadway Plan area where the proposed redevelopment includes secured rental housing:
Right of first refusal for existing tenants to return to the new building at their current rent, or a 20% discount on city-wide average market rents, whichever is less
Tenants may choose to receive a temporary rent top-up equal to the difference between their current rent and rent in a new unit during construction of the new building
Returning tenants will return to new homes that are an appropriate size for their household
If you are a tenant with an ongoing tenant relocation plan or have questions about whether you qualify for assistance, contact us at trp@vancouver.ca or call 604-829-8001.
Get help with your rights and relocation assistance
Fixed term tenancy agreements can no longer include a vacate clause requiring a tenant to move out at the end of the term unless: 