The Province is launching a new set of projects through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund with nearly 540 affordable rental homes on the way for people with low to moderate incomes.

British Columbia’s maximum annual allowable rent increase for 2021 is set at 1.4%, which is less than half of what it would have been prior to changes made by the Province in 2018.

Over 40 new supportive homes are open in New Westminster, providing safe, warm homes with around-the-clock care and supports to help women experiencing homelessness in the community.

The Province, through BC Housing, and the City of Vancouver, the BC Non-Profit Housing Association and the Pembina Institute, are working together to find ways to make homes safer, more energy-efficient and less polluting, while reducing heating costs for residents.

Two new supportive housing buildings will provide more than 100 rooms in Surrey, providing homes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, has issued the following statement regarding tent encampments in Victoria and Vancouver:

People in Metro Vancouver can rest assured that they will be able to get back to work as the Province of B.C. and TransLink announced their commitment to ensure transit service is available as British Columbians safely restart the province and its economy in the coming weeks and months.

The Province is providing enhanced relief for businesses by reducing most commercial property tax bills by an average of 25%, along with new measures to support local governments facing temporary revenue shortfalls as a result of COVID-19.

The B.C. government reassures renters they will not be evicted if they cannot pay rent during the state of emergency related to novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As announced on March 25, 2020, the Province has halted evictions during the COVID-19 crisis.

A new Interim Business Property Tax Relief program will allow local governments to provide immediate property tax relief for the 2020 tax year.