Renters Advisory Committee

Mandate and scope

• Advises Council and staff on strategic City priorities relating to renters including initiatives aimed at protecting renters and existing rental housing, creating new rental housing, and providing renter-focused services
• Advises Council and staff on enhancing access and inclusion for renters to fully participate in City services and civic life
• Considers the impacts of provincial and federal legislation affecting renters and provides information to Council and staff
• Works collaboratively with counterparts from other civic agencies to identify opportunities for joint action on issues of mutual interest
• Works co-operatively with external agencies and groups whose activities affect constituent communities
• Engages in outreach to disseminate information and encourage participation from constituent communities

Meetings and administrative procedures

• The Renters Advisory Committee holds six regular meetings per year, in addition to working sessions generally scheduled during intervening months throughout the year.
• Type A Advisory Committees may, at their discretion, establish sub-committees focused on relevant topics of interest, non-members may participate in sub-committees and attend regular meetings if invited.
• A member who is absent from more than two consecutive regular meetings without a leave of absence is deemed to have resigned.

Remuneration

• Type A Advisory Committee members and alternate members are eligible to receive reimbursement for certain meeting-related expenses.
• Non-member subcommittee participants are not eligible to receive reimbursement.
• A light meal will be provided to Type A Advisory Committee members attending in-person regular meetings held over lunch or dinner hours.

Eligibility

Persons appointed to a Type A Advisory Committee shall meet the following essential criteria:

• Not be employed by the City of Vancouver
• Live or work in Vancouver, or have a significant body of experience with issues related to the mandate of the advisory body in Vancouver
• Have connections to relevant communities, groups, and/or organizations in Vancouver
• Be able to demonstrate relevant experience or knowledge, abilities, and skills related to the mandate of the advisory body
• Be able to work in a team environment with intercultural sensitivity

Term limit

Beginning in 2019, no member of the public shall serve for more than eight consecutive years on the same Type A Advisory Committee. A former member is eligible for reappointment after one year of non-membership.

Terms of Reference

• Renters Advisory Committee Full Terms of Reference

Membership 

Appointments end December 31, 2024

• Kawa Ada
• Heather Barclay
• Eva Ciesielska
• Margareta Dovgal
• Nicolas Poppell
• Scott Robinson
• James Tod
• Colleen Wickstrom

Liaisons

• Council Liaison: Councillor Fry and Councillor Montague
• Staff Liaison: Graham Anderson, Planner, Housing Policy
• Vancouver School Board Liaisons: Trustee Jennifer Reddy and Trustee Alfred Chien (alternate)

Terms and Membership Composition

Persons appointed to a Type A Advisory Committee shall meet the following essential criteria:

• Not be employed by the City of Vancouver;
• Live or work in Vancouver, or have a significant body of experience with issues related to the mandate of the advisory body in Vancouver;
• Have connections to relevant communities, groups, and/or organizations in Vancouver;
• Be able to demonstrate relevant experience or knowledge, abilities and skills related to the mandate of the advisory body.
• Be able to work in a team environment with intercultural sensitivity.

Composition:

• Up to 12 members of the public (quorum is a majority of appointed members);
• Up to 2 non-voting Council liaisons (appointed by Mayor);
• Up to 2 non-voting staff liaisons (appointed by City Manager);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioner liaison and/or staff liaison (optional);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver School Board Trustee liaison (optional);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver Public Library staff liaison (optional);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver Police Department staff liaison (optional).

Length of term:

• Term ends immediately before the first Monday after November 1 in the year of a general local election. However, no regular meeting shall be held between the last day of the nomination period and general voting day.
• Members are appointed until December 31, 2024, at which point appointments are automatically renewable to the end of the term, and recruitment shall be conducted to fill any vacancies arising.
• Beginning in 2019, no member of the public shall serve in more than eight consecutive years on the same Type A Advisory Committee. A former member is eligible for reappointment after one year of non-membership.

All Regular Meetings are open to the public. 

In addition to the regular meetings listed here, the committee also meets several times per year for informal working sessions. Please contact the Meeting Coordinator for more information.

2025 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2024 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2023 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2022 meetings, agendas, and minutes 

2021 meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public. 

2020 meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public.

2019 meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public.

2018 meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public.

2017 meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public.

2016 meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public.

2015 meetings, agendas, and minutes

The meetings listed below are open to the public.

2023-2026 Work Plan

• View the work plan

2021-2022 in Review

An overview of the committee's accomplishments in 2021-2022, along with future goals. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no Council of Councils event was held.

• View the Annual Report

2021-2022 Work Plan

The 2021-2022 Work Plan summarizes the high priority objectives for the committee term and establishes an action plan to achieve those objectives.

• View the Work Plan

2019-2020 in Review

An overview of the committee's accomplishments in 2019-2020, along with future goals. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no Council of Councils event was held.

• View the poster

2017 in review

An overview of the committee's 2017 accomplishments and future goals as presented at the Council of Council's on October 12, 2017.

• View the poster PDF file (25 kb)

2017-2018 Work Plan

The 2017-2018 Work Plan summarizes the high priority objectives for the committee term and establishes an action plan to achieve those objectives.

• View the Work Plan PDF file (28 KB)

2016 in review

An overview of the committee's 2016 accomplishments and future goals as presented at the Council of Council's on November 9, 2016.

• View the poster PDF file (296 KB)

Rental Recommendations 2015: Reforming the BC Residential Tenancy System - presented to Council on November 17, 2015