The City of New Westminster, British Columbia, was the first to implement a renoviction bylaw to tackle the growing issue of bad-faith evictions under the guise of renovations. Initially introduced in 2016 as part of a broader Renovictions Action Plan, these measures evolved into a groundbreaking 2019 bylaw requiring landlords to provide temporary housing and allow displaced tenants to return at the same rent.

While these efforts effectively reduced renovictions to zero by 2019, subsequent amendments to British Columbia's Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) in 2021 integrated these protections into provincial law, rendering the local bylaw obsolete. 

However, New Westminster served as a model for renoviction bylaws across Ontario. Hamilton, Toronto, and London city councils are the three cities thus far to have passed renoviction bylaws set to take effect in 2025.

What is renoviction? 

Renovictions have increased over the past few years. Renoviction occurs when a landlord illegitimately evicts a tenant by claiming that the property needs to be vacant for extensive renovations. It is an eviction done in bad-faith. 

British Columbia’s Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) lacked the robust mechanisms necessary to combat renovictions effectively. The original legislation provided landlords with the ability to issue eviction notices for renovations but did not require sufficient proof that these renovations genuinely necessitated a tenant's removal.

 Additionally, landlords were not obligated to provide displaced tenants with temporary housing or guarantee their right to return at the same rent after the renovations were completed. This lack of safeguards left tenants vulnerable to bad-faith evictions, 

The Origins of Renoviction Laws in British Columbia

In 2016, the City of New Westminster staff became aware of a few evictions occurring in buildings undergoing renovations. This prompted them to create a Renovictions Action Plan to address the issue before it escalated. 

Under this plan, the city implemented various initiatives to support tenants facing renovictions, including providing updated information on tenants' rights, distributing a renovictions fact sheet, and offering the Tenant Survival Guide. They assisted tenants in checking landlords' permits, issued stop-work orders when necessary, and responded to inquiries about potential evictions. 

However, these efforts did little to curb renovictions, which were still on the rise. 

Renovictions Bylaw, New Westminster, BC

In June 2019, New Westminster amended its Business Regulations and Licensing Bylaw  to include Schedule 6. 

This addition was implemented to discourage renovictions by requiring landlords to provide temporary housing for displaced tenants and allow them to return to their units at the same rent after renovations. The city also introduced fines to enforce these regulations. 

Below is the summary of Schedule 6:

These cumulative actions caused a significant decrease in renovictions. A report by the Toronto Star in 2021 stated that “According to city statistics, renovictions went from a combined 333 households between 2016 and 2018 to zero since 2019, when the bylaw came into force.”

In 2021, City Council of New Westminster initiated the process of repealing Part 6 of the Business Regulations and Licensing (Rental Units) Bylaw. Following amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act in July 2021, which now cover similar areas, Part 6 of the bylaw was no longer functional, prompting the repeal.

Integration into B.C Residential Tenancy Act

In November 2021, the British Columbia Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) was amended to address the growing concerns surrounding renovictions. 

The integration of renoviction regulations aimed to provide greater protections for renters by establishing clearer rules that landlords must follow when issuing eviction notices for renovations. This legislative change required landlords to provide tenants with detailed information about the nature and duration of the proposed work, as well as to demonstrate a genuine need for vacant possession. 

Here is a summary of the amendments to the Act:

Conclusion

New Westminster’s renoviction bylaw marked a turning point in tenant protection, significantly curbing bad-faith evictions and setting a precedent for municipal action. The integration of these measures into British Columbia’s Residential Tenancy Act in 2021 demonstrates the growing recognition of renovictions as a systemic issue, highlighting the importance of strong legislative frameworks to protect renters. While New Westminster's bylaw is no longer active, its legacy underscores the potential for local innovations to shape provincial policies.

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