New BC Laws End Rental and Age Restrictions for Strata Properties
The new BC housing laws will set housing targets for municipalities and lift strata rental restrictions.
Sources: BCFSA, BIV, Times Colonist
Image source: Canva
Premier David Eby on his fourth day in the office is introducing a suite of housing affordability measures including proposed laws that could order fast-growing municipalities to meet housing supply targets and end rental restrictions based on age or type of building.
During his leadership campaign, Eby promised to implement the measures as British Columbia is facing a growing housing crisis in which both renters and buyers require additional housing.
Proposed amendments to the Strata Property Act will become effective immediately if passed, with the proposed Housing Supply Act coming into effect in mid-2023.
Those communities in urgent need of housing stock – eight to ten are estimated by the province to fall into this category – would be required to establish housing targets as part of a Housing Supply Act.
Targets will be established in a collaborative manner. Where and how that housing is built will be decided by municipalities.
The province did not specify Monday which municipalities have been flagged as being in a state of urgency, only that they will be notified after the legislation takes effect next year.
Picture source: Canva
A government proposal this week will amend the Strata Property Act to permanently end certain rental restrictions, including those that restrict tenants to people over 19 or 30 – essentially banning young families with children.
Additionally, the amendment will end a ban on condo owners renting their units.
There are approximately 300,000 strata units that may be subject to rental bans, according to the province. However, the Act allows stratas to ban short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs, in their bylaws.
After being sworn in in Vancouver on Friday, Eby said he planned to tackle housing issues.
During his fall leadership campaign, Eby released a housing plan intended to tackle affordability, target speculators, and protect renters.
As part of his proposed plan, a government under his leadership would speed up the approval process for affordable housing, use government land for some projects, allowing homebuilders to replace single-family houses with up to three units on the same lot, and make secondary suites legal all across the province.
There is no specific mention of secondary suites in Monday morning’s announcement.
He plans to “hit the ground running” and then provide residents with two one-time payment programs to mitigate inflation pressures.
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