Colwood renters could soon have an additional set of rights and protections in the event they are evicted from their home for renovations.

At its June 12 regular meeting, council unanimously directed staff to report back with analysis and options for the creation of a tenant displacement assistance bylaw which would help guide councilB次元官网网址檚 decisions in cases where rezoning applications involve displacing tenants.

B次元官网网址淲ith the cost of housing what it is today, it behooves us to look out for all members of our community,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Ian Ward in discussing his motion. B次元官网网址淲e would essentially be looking to ensure that renovictions and demolitions donB次元官网网址檛 imperil those in both market and non market rentals.B次元官网网址�

ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 move follows several other municipalities in the province and in the Greater Victoria region that have recently introduced similar policies requiring building owners to produce and follow a tenant assistant plan in order to have their rezoning or building permits approved.

In Saanich, for example, where the policy came into effect the same day Colwood was meeting, those assistance plans must include the hiring of a tenant relocation coordinator to help residents find and secure alternative housing, covering moving costs for the tenant, provide the tenant a right of first refusal for a comparable unit once renovations are complete and at a rental rate 20 per cent below market for the unit if market rate is higher than what they were paying prior to renovations, and rent compensation payments based on how long the tenant lived in the unit.

WardB次元官网网址檚 motion received unanimous support at the council table, with Coun. Dean Jantzen remarking how timely such a discussion is for Colwood given how old much of the housing stock is in the city, increasing the likelihood renovations will be needed.

B次元官网网址淭he only caveat I would add to this is I would hate to see a building owner not go forward with necessary renovations because they are inhibited in some way by what we are contemplating here,B次元官网网址� said Jantzen. B次元官网网址淚 would love to see us make sure we have dissected this all around.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE: Cheaper housing needed to slow tradespeople shortage: Victoria builders