B.C. Greens still oppose NDP rebate for renters

VICTORIA B.C.’s Green party, which holds the balance of power in the legislature, won’t support the NDP’s proposed $400 rental-rebate program, saying the idea to give cash to renters may be good politics but is lousy public policy.

Green Leader Andrew Weaver told reporters Wednesday he continues to oppose the idea of providing renters $400 a year to offset the high cost of rent.

The NDP promised the rebate in the 2017 provincial election, and is facing public pressure to follow through this week after government approved a maximum increase in rents of 4.5 per cent for 2019.

“Anybody who has followed the housing market knows if you just give everyone $400, all that happens is the prices go up, and the market absorbs the $400, because the market now has $400 per person more that landlords can get access to,” said Weaver. “That is not good public policy.”

Weaver lumped the rental rebate in with the government’s moves to scrap Metro Vancouver bridge tolls and protect the traditional taxi industry from ride-sharing services as purely political measures designed to win votes in key constituencies.

Green opposition forced Finance Minister Carole James to jettison the rebate from her February budget.

But the NDP has left the door open to eventually enacting it.