Courtney Collins was shocked after moving to Greater Victoria from Ontario and discovering that most B.C. rentals say B次元官网网址渘o petsB次元官网网址� in their listings.
B次元官网网址淚n Ontario, you donB次元官网网址檛 see that on ads,B次元官网网址� said Collins. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 understand.B次元官网网址�
After moving to her motherB次元官网网址檚 home in North Saanich in 2021 with her three cats, Kitten, Leo, and Morgy, she decided the flaw was within the residential system rather than her owning B次元官网网址渢oo many pets.B次元官网网址�
According to the B.C. Residential Tenancy Branch, Canadian law does not recognize having a pet as a human right. In Ontario, pet clauses are specifically banned. However, landlords in B.C. are within their rights under the Residential Tenancy Act to prohibit pets in their rental units. This excludes renters with a disability who rely on an animal in connection with their disability.
Andrew Sakamoto of the Regional Tenancy Branch media centre echoed the sentiment.
B次元官网网址淯nder the Residential Tenancy Act, landlords are totally within their rights to restrict pets,B次元官网网址� said Sakamoto.
This domino effect can impact not only the pet owners but also the shelters. Collins, who works with local rescues, says it has increased the number of stray cats and dogs she tends to.
B次元官网网址淭here a lot of people who come into the SPCA, not just because of COVID when everyone got a pet but because people simply canB次元官网网址檛 find homes that will let them have pets,B次元官网网址� said Collins. B次元官网网址淐ats, dogs and fish even.B次元官网网址�
She says itB次元官网网址檚 put a stereotype on pet owners, and while she agrees with some of the reasons, she added that people in B.C. seem more concerned with materialism than companionship. Collins says she even often sees unhoused people with pets, mostly dogs.
Working in renovation construction herself, she says that in her previous rental suites, she has paid for any necessary renovations out of pocket.
B次元官网网址淚t could be the most disgusting building, still no pets allowed,B次元官网网址� said Collins.
Frustrated with the lack of adequate housing, she sought feedback from local landlords online and was even more disappointed with the responses she received.
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Victoria resident and landlord Michelle Leblanc says she wouldnB次元官网网址檛 rent out a suite to pet owners or those with young children because of the potential cost of repairs and utilities.
B次元官网网址淭he risk to our home isnB次元官网网址檛 worth it. We havenB次元官网网址檛 even touched on all the other risks like increased chance of fire or flood, or any other possible damage that could occur with the best of tenants,B次元官网网址� said Leblanc. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not worth it to wipe out over a yearB次元官网网址檚 profit for a risk I donB次元官网网址檛 have to take.B次元官网网址�
Collins says a middle ground can be reached between tenants and landlords.
B次元官网网址淢aybe people can meet in the middle somewhere and pay higher deposits. IB次元官网网址檝e been seeing a lot of abandoned animals, and itB次元官网网址檚 quite sad,B次元官网网址� said Collins.
On Oct. 10, the provincial government announced that more new homes for people would be approved faster by removing paper-only application barriers that allow people to apply for secondary suites online. Despite more housing soon to be available, since it is up to the landlordB次元官网网址檚 discretion to allow pets, many have still been left without a place to call home.
Collins eventually found a reasonable suite in Saanich, but said the journey to get there was disconcerting.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just ridiculous,B次元官网网址� said Collins. B次元官网网址淚 find that B.C. has a huge sense of entitlement. ItB次元官网网址檚 already hard enough to rent and itB次元官网网址檚 expensive, and then if you have pets, youB次元官网网址檙e pretty much screwed.B次元官网网址�
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