The province will close the loopholes in the Residential Tenancy Act that allow renovictions to happen.
As seniors and other tenants in the 22 units at the Esme Manor apartments in Maple Ridge look for new homes, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows MLA Lisa Beare said the provincial government is aware of the issue.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very concerned by these evictions,鈥� said Beare, who was recently named to the new NDP government鈥檚 cabinet as the minister of tourism, arts and culture. 鈥淎nd they鈥檙e at a time when Maple Ridge is facing challenges with homelessness.鈥�
Tenants in eight units on the three-level building鈥檚 top floor have been evicted to make way for renovations, and told that they can return in two months, but with their former $750 per month rents hiked to the $1,000 range.
Some, like Robert and Gail Halliday, say they have nowhere to go, and they will refuse to leave.
Others say they may be left homeless. One resident at a press conference outside the building on Monday said he just got two months eviction notice, and has rented a storage locker.
鈥淚f I can鈥檛 find a place at the last minute, my stuff goes into storage and I鈥檓 homeless again,鈥� he said.
The press conference was called by the Alliance Against Displacement. Spokesperson Tingchun Chen called on the provincial government to take action.
鈥淭he provincial government needs to be accountable for the policy decisions they have made that have created the housing crisis, and step up and fix it, operating with municipal governments as well,鈥� she said.
Beare said the renovictions have been discussed with the premier鈥檚 office, and Housing Minister Selina Robinson has a mandate to amend the Residential Tenancy Act.
鈥淚t鈥檚 clear the law does not do enough to protect tenants,鈥� said Beare. 鈥淲e鈥檙e planning to close the loophole and make sure tenants are better protected.鈥�
That loophole allows landlords to evict tenants for renovations, then raise rents beyond the annual For 2017, the maximum allowable rent increase is 3.7 per cent. For a unit renting at $750 per month, the maximum increase would be approximately $28 per month.
Beare said BC Housing staff were on site meeting with tenants on Monday, and the province will work with the landlord and the city to ensure no tenants are left homeless.
