The B.C. government launched its Rental Housing Task Force on Monday with a new website and a tour across the province to speak with renters and landlords starting next week.
The task force, to be headed up by Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, will review existing rental laws and how they apply to different housing models and how other jurisdictions have addressed similar housing issues.
Public meetings will be held in 10 cities across the province, including Maple Ridge next Monday (June 4), Vancouver on June 27, and in Surrey on June 28.
While no sessions are scheduled in Burnaby, residents can attend sessions at another location, participate by joining the online discussion, or by sending an email to [email protected] . Organizations may also make submissions on the project website.
In a press conference Monday, Herbert said the government wants to ensure it gives landlords confidence in renting out their properties while making sure renters are also protected, and for both to feel the process is fair.
“We’re asking renters to think as if they’re landlords, landlords to think as if they’re renters, because, in the end, it’s a complex relationship and you need both parties,” he said. “It’s not about pro-renter versus pro-landlord, it’s about trying to be pro-rental, and finding a way to make sure both renters and landlords, housing providers, feel secure when they rent out their suite and when they stay in them.”
The consultation process is open-ended, he said, because each type of housing has its own set of potential issues.
“We’re letting those who provide rental housing, who live in rental housing, to provide us with the answers of where we need to look,” he said. “Unless you properly consult with all the parties, you may harm one you never intended to but you could have helped if you properly listened.”
The task force has already started meeting with some groups in May. Results from the consultation will be compiled in a report, which will be presented to Housing Minister Selina Robinson and Premier John Horgan in the fall.
