VANCOUVER, B.C. –  Over the last four years Green Councillors have implemented a Renter’s office at City Hall, added vacancy control and rental rates tied to income in city housing policies, championed more robust tenant protections, and initiated Vancouver’s first city-wide plan in over 100 years.

When elected next term, Green Party of Vancouver Councillors will revamp the rezoning process, stand firm on affordability, and protect renters and affordable rental units. 

“Many of the drawn out divisive issues we see at rezonings are a result of the City not having a long term land-use plan for the last 100 years.” said City Councillor Adriane Carr. “That’s why my first motion this term was to expedite a city-wide plan.

“The Vancouver Plan will be completed early next term and will include new zoning maps to deliver equitable housing options in every neighbourhood. These zoning changes will eliminate the need for contentious rezonings and ensure the delivery of more affordable housing.  

“Of course some projects will still need to come before Council but Greens will push to see that process streamlined by making the rezoning and development permit application processes happen simultaneously. Victoria, Coquitlam, and the City of North Vancouver all have concurrent rezoning and development permit processes and Vancouver should too. Greens would like to see it start with affordable rental buildings, co-ops, and climate-smart housing.”

Green Councillors successfully added vacancy control and rental rates tied to income in the Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program (MIRHPP) and will continue to expand affordable housing policies next term. 

“We are committed to continuing and expanding our work to deliver affordable rental units for the people of Vancouver,” said incumbent City Councillor Michael Wiebe. “That means using income-based metrics to determine affordability. 

“Affordable rent should be no more than 30% of a household’s gross income. City plans and policies should focus on delivering housing affordable for the median and lower-income renter households in Vancouver. We did it with MIRHPP and we can build real affordability into other city housing policies as well, especially in City-owned, city-built housing.” 

Green City Councillor Pete Fry created a Renter’s Office in the city and brought policy to strengthen renter and rental protections, and track illegal renovictions. Greens will continue that important work moving forward.

“Protecting renters and existing affordable rental buildings are critical to any housing plan that purports to address our housing crisis,” said Fry.

“We need to limit rent increases for units, not just tenants, in all city policies; expand and strengthen the City’s Tenant Relocation and Protection Guidelines to ensure all tenants have the same rights; we need to crack down on renovictions; and we need to close the Empty Homes Tax loophole that allows landlords to avoid the tax by retaining only one tenant in a cleared-out building.” 

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More information
2022 Green Housing Platform - PDF

Related
Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program (MIRHPP) Rezoning Policy

Motion: Expediting a City-Wide Plan for Vancouver, Councillor Carr, November 13, 2018

Motion: A Renter’s Office at the City of Vancouver, Councillor Fry, February 12, 2019