No one living in BC Housing buildings will be evicted because they can’t pay rent during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
But Selena Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said the provincial government is also working on a moratorium on evictions for renters who aren’t in social housing.
“No one should lose their home because of this pandemic,” Robinson said.
She said an announcement is coming in the next number of days of “how people can be guaranteed security of rent.”
The provincial government announced this on Saturday morning as they addressed how vulnerable people in the province can be supported.
Their focus will be to protect five groups: those living in the street, homeless people in encampments, those in emergency shelters and transitional homes, those in single-room occupancy homes and in social and supportive non-profit housing.
Selena Robinson said these people are particularly vulnerable, and the need to help these people is “critical.”
They have also set up a provincial vulnerable people’s working group to address the specific needs of these groups.
Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, said social distancing among vulnerable people can be “very challenging” but they are working with organization to improve that, for example, figuring out how to reduce the requirement for them to enter offices to access services.
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