The exterior of Hotel Strathcona and the surrounding buildings

SRA Vacancy Control Policy

What you need to know

On May 14, 2024, the Province passed amendments to the Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act (MEVA) to enable us to implement SRO vacancy control  (559 KB)

On June 11, 2024, Council approved amendments to the License By-law requiring that this year owners/operators must submit rent rolls to us by July 31, 2024.

The next annual rent roll collection is January 31, 2025.

The Vacancy Control Policy limits rent increases in SRA-designated buildings between tenancies. 

The regulations aim to:

  • Slow speculative investment and rapidly rising rents in SRO buildings 
  • Prevent tenant displacement

What's happeningSubmit your monthly rent details

As part of the SRA Vacancy Control policy, we’re asking for your monthly rent amount. This will help confirm the rents landlords report for the annual rent roll.

You can submit your rent details by:

Find the current inflation rate

The Province updates the inflation rate  on the third week of every month.

The latest inflation rate for Vancouver is 2.7% (released November 19, 2024).

Often the last resort before homelessness, Single Room Accommodation (SRA) rooms in the Downtown Eastside and downtown core provide affordable accommodation for people who have very low incomes and face significant barriers to securing housing in Vancouver. 

The Vacancy Control Policy limits rent increases in SRA-designated buildings between tenancies.

Determine when your rent can be increased

Use our calculator to find out when a landlord can raise a tenant's rent. It can also help you determine the maximum increase allowed under the Vacancy Control Policy.

Key parts of the policy

Regulation

Contact us

Email: vacancycontrol@vancouver.ca

Phone: 604-829-9275

Rent calculator

Determine when a landlord can increase a tenant's rent and the maximum allowable amount under the Vacancy Control Policy.