Task force wants to hear from you
Task force looking to update province’s tenancy laws will visit Kelowna next month
B.C.’s Rental Housing Task Force will be in Kelowna June 12 to collect input.
The task force will make recommendations to the provincial government on how to modernize and balance tenancy laws to provide safe, secure and affordable housing.
The task force is looking for ways to improve fairness for both renters and rental housing providers.
The Kelowna session is 6-9 p.m. in the atrium of Okanagan College’s Centre for Learning.
Register at Eventbrite.com to give your views.
The task force is visiting 10 communities, and is also taking submissions from organizations and an online discussion at Engage.gov.bc.ca/rentalhousingtaskforce until July 6.
The task force is also seeking input on manufactured home park legislation.
The task force’s recommendations will be presented to Premier John Horgan and Municipal Affairs Minister Selina Robinson in the fall.
The province is already working to provide more affordable rental housing. Victoria is investing more than $7 billion over a decade to build homes in urban, suburban and rural areas across the province.
Over 10 years, $1.1 billion is also being spent to upgrade and improve existing subsidized rental housing.
To help renters, $116 million will be spent over three years to expand eligibility and increase benefits under the Rental Assistance Program and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters.
The provincial government is providing $6.8 million in new funding to the Residential Tenancy Branch to reduce wait times for tenancy disputes and establish a new compliance unit to take action against landlords and tenants who are repeat or serious offenders.