Established Policy Positions 

Status

Stop displacement caused by demovictions

• Renters have the right to move back into new building at the same rent
• Demovicted tenants have rents topped up by landlord while new unit is being built

Read more about VTU’s campaign for this policy:

https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/protections

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes:

• City of Burnaby successfully implemented these policies in 2018
• VTU’s campaign endorsed by Vancouver & District Labour Council in 2020

Expand the Tenant Relocation & Protection Policy to apply to all tenancies

Currently the policy only applies to renters in specific rental situations

Read about VTU members mobilizing to support a motion for this policy in 2018 here.

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes:

• Thanks to VTU member advocacy City staff slightly expanded the policy to apply to renters who are being demovicted as part of a land assembly. Read about those changes here: 
  https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/trpp_expansion

Use municipal powers to stop renovictions

Read about VTU members mobilizing to support a motion for this policy in 2018 here.

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes:

• A motion passed in 2020 that mirrored similar policies passed in New Westminster and Port Coquitlam - it would have required landlords to maintain tenancies through renovations, enforceable through fines.  However, an internal staff report obtained by VTU indicated that progress on implementation was halted when the province updated BC’s renoviction regulations

Use municipal powers to implement vacancy control (rent control tied to the unit)

Read about VTU members mobilizing to support a motion for this policy in 2018 here.

PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED

Notes:

• In 2021 the City implemented a policy to apply and enforce vacancy control in approximately 3000 privately owned SRO hotel units
• Designated below-market units in Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program (MIRHPP) projects are vacancy controlled
• Developers tried to convince council to remove vacancy control from MIRPP in 2021, unsuccessfully

Supporting End to “No Pets” Clauses

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Note:

• A 2020 council motion called on the mayor to advocate for changes to provincial legislation, and for city staff to investigate how measures could be taken locally.

Supporting Demands of CRAB Park Residents 

On September 19th VTU's general Membership voted to support the three demands stated in an open letter, which includes building 10,000 units of dignified social housing, returning land around CRAB park to the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, building a healing lodge, and dropping all charges on the 48 community members who peacefully protested decampment of Camp Namegans in August.

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Established Policy Positions

Status

Vacancy Control

Limiting rent increases to once every twelve months, regardless of whether there has been a change of tenant.

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes

• VTU launched a campaign in 2017
• 2018 BC Rental Housing Task Force did not recommend implementing vacancy control

Require automatic dispute resolution hearings for all evictions

Ensuring all tenants have a chance to dispute their eviction, and creates a provincial record of an eviction. This is already the law in Ontario

PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED

Notes

• Revisions to the Residential Tenancy Act in 2021 require automatic dispute resolution hearings for renovictions

Support tenants to convert their rental buildings into Co-ops

Give tenants the right to put in a first offer when buildings go up for sale, with loan programs to support the conversion.

NOT IMPLIMENTED

Right to return when unit is demolished or subdivided at the same rent

Ensure renters who are demovicted have an opportunity to remain in their communities as they develop and grow

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes

• Currently the Residential Tenancy Act only requires landlords to offer the right to return (the right of first refusal) to new units at market-rents.
• The city of Burnaby has successfully implemented this policy

Temporary Rent Freeze

VTU recommended a four year freeze on annual allowable rent increases

IMPLEMENTED

Notes:

• BC enacted a temporary freeze on rent increases from 2020-22, initially as a suite of policies for COVID-19

End Renovictions

Outlaw the ability for a landlord to evict or end a tenancy for the purposes of repairs or renovation

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes

• Revisions to the Residential Tenancy Act in 2021 regulate the renoviction process, rather than simply outlawing renovictions, or implementing vacancy control to reduce the economic incentive to evict.

Recognize Tenant Unions and the right to collectively bargain

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Protect co-tenants (roommates) with rights under the Residential Tenancy Act.

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes:

VTU members endorsed the Rent Strike Bargain campaign in 2020

Prohibit discrimination against tenants with pets

NOT IMPLEMENTED

Notes: 

VTU endorsed the Pets Ok BC petition in October 2017 advocating for British Columbia to follow the Ontario, which removed the pet restrictions clause from their Residential Tenancies Act in 1990, given that the Quiet Enjoyment provision is respected. Furthermore, no additional “pet damage” deposit was deemed necessary.