As part of work underway to deliver more homes for people faster, the Province has introduced new legislation to reduce construction delays and streamline processes to fund key services, infrastructure and amenities for growing communities.

Nathan Cullen, Minister of Municipal Affairs, has issued the following statement to mark World Refugee Day on Monday, June 20, 2022:

People in B.C. communities will benefit from legislative amendments that give local governments more powers to simplify and speed up their development approvals processes, helping to get the homes people need built faster.

Indigenous communities, local governments and heritage organizations in British Columbia will soon have access to funding for projects that spotlight the Province’s diverse cultural heritage.

A new program supporting local governments to improve their development approvals process builds on the Province’s commitment to help people and communities get the homes they need built faster. 

Effective immediately, the Province is extending the freeze on rent increases until July 10, 2021, under the powers of the Emergency Program Act and COVID-19 Related Measures Act.

Details on the new repayment framework for renters with outstanding rent from April to August 2020 are available on the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) website, with the moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent ending ahead of Sept. 1.

The Province has laid out the details of a repayment framework to be put in place later this summer, helping renters and landlords to transition and tenants in arrears to maintain their housing when the ban on evictions for non-payment of rent is lifted ahead of Sept. 1, 2020.