BC Greens announce vacancy control and end to pet bans in rental housing plan
BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan announced on September 29 that a Green government would tie rent increases to individual units rather than tenants, and end blanket no-pet clauses in rental housing.
Announcement. A campaign, a party or the City chose to say this. voche.me reports it as their claim. Read the original report on dailyhive.com.
The BC Green Party announced on September 29, 2026 that it would implement vacancy control and end blanket pet bans in rental housing if elected to government. Daily Hive Vancouver reported the announcement.
Under vacancy control, rent increases would be tied to individual housing units rather than to the tenants living in them. Currently in BC, landlords can reset rent to any amount when a tenant moves out. The Green Party says its plan would keep annual increases within the limits set by the Residential Tenancy Branch, even between tenancies.
"I know firsthand how demoralising and nerve-wracking the experience of trying to find affordable housing can be," leader Emily Lowan said in a statement reported by Daily Hive Vancouver. The party says Lowan is herself a renter and describes herself as part of the 33% of British Columbians who rent.
Daily Hive reported that Lowan noted vacancy control was previously enacted under BC NDP Premier Dave Barrett in 1973, but was later eliminated. These historical details come from the party's own statement.
Pet bans
The party also says it would amend the Residential Tenancy Act to eliminate blanket no-pet clauses in rental units. Daily Hive Vancouver reported that one quarter of cats and dogs surrendered to BC SPCA are there because limited pet-friendly housing left owners no other choice. The Green Party says it would replace blanket bans with what it calls "appropriate management guidelines on pets in rentals," though the party has not published a draft of what those guidelines would include.
Other housing commitments
The party's announcement also included these commitments, each the party's own stated figures: restart the Community Housing Fund and the Indigenous Housing Fund; build and protect 26,000 housing units annually; and protect 2,000 deeply affordable rental homes per year. The party has not published a cost breakdown for these measures.
What renters can do before voting day
Voters can read the BC Green Party's full platform at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-green-party. Voting day for the provincial election is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. Nominations close October 3 at 1 p.m. PT.
Questions this story answers
What is vacancy control and what did the BC Greens promise?
Vacancy control ties rent increases to an individual housing unit, so a landlord cannot raise the rent beyond the annual limit set by the province when a tenant moves out. Currently, landlords can reset the rent to any amount between tenancies. The BC Green Party announced on September 29, 2026 that it would implement vacancy control if elected, with the Residential Tenancy Branch continuing to set annual increase limits. These are the party's own commitments, reported by Daily Hive Vancouver.
What did the BC Greens say about pet bans in rental housing?
The BC Green Party announced it would amend the Residential Tenancy Act to eliminate blanket no-pet clauses, replacing them with what the party calls 'appropriate management guidelines on pets in rentals.' Daily Hive Vancouver reported that one quarter of cats and dogs surrendered to BC SPCA are there because of limited pet-friendly housing. This is the party's stated commitment, and the party has not published a detailed draft amendment.
What other housing commitments did the BC Greens announce?
The BC Green Party says it would restart the Community Housing Fund and the Indigenous Housing Fund, build and protect 26,000 housing units annually, and protect 2,000 deeply affordable rental homes per year. These figures come from the party's own announcement as reported by Daily Hive Vancouver on September 29, 2026. The party has not published a cost breakdown for these commitments.
Has vacancy control existed in BC before?
Daily Hive Vancouver reported that Green leader Emily Lowan noted vacancy control was enacted by BC NDP Premier Dave Barrett in 1973 but was later eliminated. The party's announcement on September 29, 2026 would bring it back. This history comes from the party's own statement and has not been independently verified by this report.
Who made the BC Greens housing announcement?
BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan made the announcement on September 29, 2026. Lowan said in a statement reported by Daily Hive Vancouver: 'I know firsthand how demoralising and nerve-wracking the experience of trying to find affordable housing can be.' The party says Lowan is a renter herself and describes herself as one of the 33% of British Columbians who rent.
How does BC Green housing policy compare to NDP and Conservative policy?
This report covers only the BC Green Party announcement from September 29, 2026. The BC NDP and Conservative Party of BC have each published separate housing commitments. This site does not compare party platforms in a single brief; see individual party coverage at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-green-party for Green Party details.
Are these housing commitments confirmed policy?
These commitments are the BC Green Party's stated platform as announced September 29, 2026 and reported by Daily Hive Vancouver. They are what the party says it would do if elected. The party has not published a detailed cost breakdown or draft legislation for any of these measures. Whether they would be enacted depends on the election result.
Where can I find more information about the BC Greens and this election?
You can read more about the BC Green Party at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-green-party. Voting day for the BC provincial election is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. Visit Elections BC for voting locations and registration information.
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