April 9, 2026

At the Planning and Development Committee on March 31, Council authorized bringing forward the Tenant Protection Bylaw (TPB) for consideration. The proposed Bylaw intends to address gaps in the current Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP), particularly its limited scope and enforcement. Unlike TAP, which only applies to rezonings, the TPB would apply more broadly to most purpose-built rental redevelopments, including those not requiring rezoning. The proposed Bylaw is expected to come into effect on July 1, 2026, with some exemptions such as non-market housing, co-ops, and certain short-term strata wind-up situations.

Core tenant protections will largely remain the same, including relocation support, rent top-ups or compensation, and the right of first refusal to return to a comparable unit at the same rent. However, the City will strengthen enforcement of tenant protection requirements by allowing fines, use of developer security to compensate tenants, and potential prosecution for non-compliance. Failure to comply could also lead to permit revocation and stop work orders, increasing financial and construction risk for developers. 

The framework will also introduce more formal application and security requirements through the Development Procedures Bylaw, requiring upfront tenant-related documentation and financial security before permit issuance. Furthermore, replacement rental and inclusionary housing requirements will be updated so that replacement units are secured as rental long-term, align with new zoning-based rent levels, and allow some flexibility for market rents in certain cases.

More information can be found in the full report by City staff.

July 21, 2025

As mentioned in previous updates, at Planning and Development Committee on July 9th, Council received a report for information on a progress update for the Tenant Protection Bylaw and associated Development Permit Area (DPA). Staff anticipate the completion of the draft Tenant Protection Bylaw this summer to be brought forward for Council’s consideration in Fall 2025 to coincide with the advancement of the OCP and Zoning Bylaw. 

The Bylaw and DPA are anticipated to provide strengthened compliance and enforcement options. The replacement of Stream 1 – Replacement Rental of the Rental Use Zoning Policy with new zoning regulations is also part of this project. In terms of the applicability of tenant protections for secondary rental, due to the complexity of dealing with these situations, the report noted it is not advisable to integrate this review into the project at the time. 

More information can be found in the full report by City staff. 

October 10, 2024

At Planning & Development Committee (PDC) on September 25th, Council approved adding clarifying updates to the Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP). The updates intend to increase the clarity and transparency of the TAP in advance of considering the development of a tenant protection bylaw in the future. 

Proposed changes include: 

• Support for Tenants with Pets – Proposed wording be added to the policy concerning requirements for Tenant Relocation Coordinators (TRCs) to find pet-friendly interim housing options for Option 1: Applicant-secured interim housing and that tenants be offered a pet-friendly replacement unit based on the number and size of the pets that the tenant was permitted in the unit at the rezoning site.
• Switching from Top-up to Lump Sum Compensation – Additional text proposed explaining that if a tenant has secured interim housing for which the rent is the same or less than that at the rezoning site and they elect to switch to a lump sum payment, then the number of months the tenant has lived in that interim housing unit will be subtracted from the lump sum payment calculation.
• Timing of TAP Bonding – Wording proposed clarifying that bonding is to be submitted before Final Adoption of the rezoning bylaw, or issuance of a Demolition Permit, whichever comes first.   
• Communication with Ineligible Tenants – Staff propose communications with ineligible tenants from the TAP Guide to the policy require that applicants inform prospective tenants that (1) the site is subject to an active reasoning which may result in their displacement and (2) that the prospective tenant will be ineligible for any compensation or support under the TAP policy.
• Removal of Checklist from TAP and Include it as a Schedule to TAP – Proposed removing the condensed checklist from the TAP text and instead attaching the Tenant Assistance Policy Checklist as Schedule A to the policy.
• Additional Clarifications
• Clarification that tenants living in illegal units created by the property owner may be eligible, as outlined in the TAP Guide;
• Clarification that tenants evicted for cause are ineligible as outlined in RUZP;  
• Clarification that the interim period applies to both top-ups and lump sums;
• Clarifying how the TAP bond is calculated as outlined in the TAP Guide; and
• Clarification that moving compensation should be provided to all tenants that return to the replacement building, including inclusionary units. 

City staff expect more information to be shared from the Province this fall regarding next steps on Tenant Protection Bylaws and staff plan to bring forward a report to Council in the future to review the merits of pursuing the development of a Tenant Protection Bylaw. As part of that review, staff will consider Council’s motion to expand TAP eligibility to include secondary rental units (not being consolidated with a purpose-built rental building). 

More information can be found in the full report by City staff, clarifying text, and the proposed changes to the policy.