B.C. rental restriction legislation to be amended, premier says
Posted March 13, 2023 4:32 pm.
Last Updated March 13, 2023 4:35 pm.
In a follow-up to a story first shared by CityNews, B.C. Premier David Eby says fixes will be made to legislation that led a Maple Ridge couple to fear they could be removed from their strata after it voted to go 55+.
Last month, Razan Talebian told CityNews her building’s strata council planned on forcing her out after voting to become a 55+ complex. It came as the B.C. government made changes around housing age restrictions.
Read More: Pregnant Maple Ridge woman says strata’s 55+ change is forcing her out
While in Washington for a meeting with Governor Jay Inslee Monday, Eby told reporters amendments will be coming to address these kinds of challenges.
“A commitment to them, as well as British Columbians, that they will not be — under my watch anyway — kicked out of their homes through an effort like this by their strata,” the premier said.
When Talebian shared her story in February, she expressed concern as there was nothing clear in the legislation that indicated she couldn’t be kicked out of her building. Eby says that the unclarity will soon be fixed.
“We’re currently doing the policy work. We’ll be introducing amendments to address this issue of people who live in buildings that then convert to 55+,” he said.
“We want people to start families, we want them to build their families in British Columbia. This legislation is about making housing available for people to do that.”
At the time, B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the strata council needed to “give their head a shake” when asked about the situation.
“It’s a shame that the strata council didn’t think through the implications on the residents when they made this decision and now I think they need to modify that to ensure this family can stay in the unit,” he said in February.
Read More: More stratas moving to 55+ in response to B.C. rental changes
In November, the B.C. government moved to get rid of rental restrictions in the province, except for age buildings meant for seniors over 55 years old. Some buildings have made the change leaving some, like the Maple Ridge couple, in a lurch.
-With files from Martin MacMahon
