Vancouver Tenants Union

On September 7, 2018, the government announced that, based on the consumer price index and the formula used for rent increases, the maximum annual allowable rent increase for 2019 would be 4.5 per cent.{{cite news|title=Maximum allowable rent increase set for 2019 |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018MAH0117-001724#:~:text=Based%20on%20the%20B.C.%20Consumer,the%20inflation%20rate%20plus%202%25. |work=news.gov.bc.ca |publisher=BC Government |date=7 September 2018}} VTU members and renters attended a standing-room-only general meeting on September 8 to discuss mobilizing against the rent increase.{{cite news |title=Fundraiser launched for Vancouver tenants on brink of 'renoviction'|url=https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/vancouver-news/fundraiser-launched-vancouver-tenants-renoviction-videos-2760118 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Vancouver Is Awesome |date=2 October 2020 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Vancouver Tenants Union declares victory over evicting developer |url=https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/11/12/vancouver-tenants-union-victory-developer/ |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=News 1130 |publisher=CityNews |date=12 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Brownell |first1=Claire|title=Renters across Canada are banding together to fight high housing costs and evictions |url=https://www.macleans.ca/news/renters-across-canada-are-banding-together-to-fight-high-housing-costs-and-evictions/ |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Macleans.ca |date=8 January 2021 |language=en}}

On September 13, 2019, the VTU held a rally outside the downtown Vancouver office of Landlord BC, a lobby group in favour of the automatic annual increases in rent.{{cite web |title=4.5% Hike Means Fight! |url=https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/4_5_means_fight |website=Vancouver Tenants Union |access-date=21 February 2021}} As a result of tenants' mobilization and organization throughout British Columbia, which included the efforts of the VTU, the provincial government reduced the maximum allowable rent increase from 4.5% to 2.5%.{{cite news |title=Province cuts rent increase to ease pressure on renters {{!}} BC Gov News |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018PREM0072-001870 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=news.gov.bc.ca |publisher=BC Gov News |date=26 September 2018}}{{cite news |title=Province cuts allowable rent hike to 2.5% in 2019 |url=https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/courier-archive/real-estate/province-cuts-allowable-rent-hike-to-25-in-2019-3084262 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Vancouver Is Awesome |date=26 September 2018 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=B.C. government cuts automatic 2% increase in annual rent allowance for 2019 |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4489854/b-c-government-cuts-increase-annual-rent-allowance-2019/ |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Global News |date=26 September 2018}}

In 2022, the union released a report that compiled the results of a survey they conducted with 293 households in 41 purpose-built rental buildings in the Broadway corridor area to demonstrate the large rent gap between the median current rent tenants surveyed were paying, compared to the median market rental price.{{Cite web |last=Jung |first=Regan Hasegawa, Angela |date=2022-05-16 |title=Vancouver Tenants Union opposes controversial Broadway Plan |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/vancouver-tenants-union-opposes-controversial-broadway-plan/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}

In 2023, the VTU participated in a rally at the provincial legislature calling for vacancy control, alongside several other organizations, including the BC General Employees' Union.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-14 |title=Organizations rally for rent control to address housing affordability crisis |url=https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/organizations-rally-rent-control-address-housing-affordability-crisis-8273329 |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Business in Vancouver |language=en}}

In 2025, the VTU spoke out against a provincial law change that shortened the eviction notice period for "landlord use" evictions from 4 months to 3 months.{{Cite news |title='An attack on tenants': Advocacy group says B.C. rule changes favour landlords |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-regulations-landlords-tenants-eviction-notice-personal-use |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250410021801/https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-regulations-landlords-tenants-eviction-notice-personal-use |archive-date=2025-04-10 |access-date=2025-05-20 |work=vancouversun |language=en}}

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• {{cite news |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7472802/eviction-ban-extended-bc/|title=Vancouver Tenants Union calling on B.C. government to reinstate ban on evictions |website=Globalnews.ca |access-date=21 February 2021}}
• {{cite news |title=Rent debt staring in people's faces, Vancouver Tenants Union warns |url=https://www.straight.com/news/rent-debt-staring-in-peoples-faces-vancouver-tenants-union-warns |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=The Georgia Straight |date=28 April 2020 |language=en}}

{{refend}}

• [https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/ Official website]

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Vancouver

Category:Housing organizations

Category:Politics of Vancouver

Category:Tenants unions

Category:Housing rights organizations in Canada