FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2025

Unceded territories of the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations – The Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) and Together Against Poverty (TAPS) are sounding the alarm over BC Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon’s announcement last week that the Province is considering removing Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) protections entirely from supportive housing — a move the Ministry argues would enable non-profit housing providers to “take quick and decisive action against problematic tenants and guests.”

“Removing any rights and protections does not ensure people live in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment. In fact, it does the exact opposite,” says Danielle Sabelli, lawyer at CLAS. “It increases housing precarity, reinforces stigma, and risks creating prison-like conditions for people who cannot afford market housing.”

On July 8th CLAS and TAPS sent a letter to the Minister of Housing, warning that this proposal represents a grave threat to the rights, security, and dignity of some of BC’s most marginalized residents.

Minister Kahlon has suggested the changes would only target a “small number of individuals” and that most people would not face unfair evictions. But CLAS and TAPS strongly reject leaving tenants’ rights to the discretion of individual operators.

“We cannot rely on assumed goodwill,” says Sabelli. “In our work, we have seen numerous attempts by non-profit housing providers to circumvent the RTA precisely to carry out unfair and unjust evictions. Stripping RTA protections would harm these tenants, including losing their homes.”

Equally troubling is the Province’s plan to consult primarily with non-profit housing providers, law enforcement, union representatives, and government staff, while excluding tenants themselves.

“The government is making decisions about tenants without tenants,” says Douglas King, Executive Director of TAPS. “The government recently completed a consultation on supportive housing which included tenants and determined it should remain covered under the Residential Tenancy Act. To change that now without giving tenants a seat at the table would be a betrayal”.

The two organizations call on the Province to immediately halt any plans to remove RTA protections from supportive housing and to engage directly with supportive housing tenants to craft solutions that balance safety and rights.

“This proposal is not just misguided — it’s dangerous,” says King. “Most tenants in supportive housing cannot afford market rent and many have nowhere else to go. Eviction is a direct pathway to homelessness, and housing providers should not be given such unchecked power over their tenants.”

About the Community Legal Assistance Society
The Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) is a non-profit law firm serving people in BC since 1971. We provide legal assistance and work to advance the law to address the critical needs of those who are disadvantaged or face discrimination.

About Together Against Poverty Society
Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS) is one of the largest anti-poverty organizations on Vancouver Island. Through legal advocacy and public education, we strive to uphold and promote human rights, justice, and community.

Media Contact:
Kristine Sostar McLellan, CLAS Communications
(778) 872-8703 | [email protected]