The final legislative session for the 42nd parliament delivered action to help people in B.C. with new laws and measures aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures, delivering more homes for people with middle incomes and improving public health care.

The Province is taking action to keep rents affordable for people with a low income in the Downtown Eastside (DTES), preventing as many as 1,000 people from losing their homes.

As part of the Province’s commitment to build more homes for people, the next set of priority communities has been identified to receive housing targets for the next five years.

Strata owners will soon have more certainty and consistency around the repair and maintenance of common property with new regulations to close a loophole that allowed strata corporations to indefinitely defer depreciation reports.

New short-term rental rules that will deliver more homes for people are set to come into effect on May 1, 2024, as the Province releases additional information to guide hosts, platforms and visitors through the changes.

Improvements to the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program and a one-time rental benefit of $430 will bring relief for families and seniors with low incomes who are receiving a rent subsidy through the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and SAFER program.

New measures are coming that will improve the ability of local governments to build more affordable, livable communities for people and help tenants facing eviction from redevelopment.