ARCHIVED: Natural Gas Development
- On Jan. 8, 2016, B.C.’s Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) will introduce fee changes that aim to reduce wait times for tenancy dispute hearings.
- This is the first time RTB fees have increased since 1998.
- The RTB will continue to waive fees for low-income people. Approximately one-fifth of all applicants will not have to pay any application fee at all.
- In 2014-15, the RTB received more than 22,000 applications for dispute resolution, a 5% increase over previous years.
- The fee change will enable the RTB to hire new arbitrators, which will create the capacity to reduce wait times for urgent applications.
- The fee increase will also help the RTB develop and implement new technology that will enable residential tenancy disputes to be resolved faster and more efficiently.
- The fee to apply for dispute resolution will increase from $50 to $100.
- Residential dispute application fees vary across Canada. For example, the current fee in Ontario is $170, Saskatchewan charges $50 and Alberta charges $75.
- Among the other changes is an increase to the cost for landlords to apply to increase rent beyond the standard allowable amount. This previously cost $200 plus $5 per rental unit or site, but will now cost $300 plus $10 per rental unit or site, up to a maximum of $600.
- Additionally, fees for review hearings will increase to $50, from $25.
Media Contacts
Sandra Steilo
Media RelationsMinistry of Natural Gas Development
250 952-0617
