---
title: "BC Greens announce vacancy control and end to pet bans in rental housing plan"
description: "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."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/bc-greens-vacancy-control-renters-2026"
last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:07:04.498Z"
---

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](/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.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/bc/provincial-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.