BC Housing manages 7,800 units of public housing.
Non-profit societies manage affordable housing, with subsidies from BC Housing.
Housing co-operatives also run affordable housing developments, with funding from BC Housing.

As the demand for housing exceeds the number of available units, it is not possible to predict when an applicant may receive an offer of accommodation. Different housing providers often have different criteria for prioritizing applicants, examples include:

Chronological – by date of application
A point system used to determine which applicants are in the greatest need
Housing Need Categories

Housing co-operatives accept new members based on their willingness to participate in running the co-operative.

Some housing providers may give additional consideration to applicants who are: homeless; fleeing domestic violence or abuse; or have a serious health condition affected by their current housing. If this applies to you, you may wish to have a Supplemental Form completed by a third party verifier.

When will I receive an offer of housing?

The demand for subsidized housing far exceeds the available supply. As a result, it is not possible to predict when a unit may come available. Wait times depend on the number of unit turnovers and the needs of other households applying for housing. To increase your chances of obtaining a unit, select a range of developments with The Housing Registry and apply directly to developments that are not part of the registry.

How will I be contacted about housing?

When you are being considered for a vacant unit, the housing provider will call you for more information. At this time, the housing provider will perform additional validations and checks to determine if they will offer you an available unit.

Each housing provider will have their own process for reviewing and evaluating applications for possible tenancies. Applicant evaluation processes may include:

Personal interviews
Verification of information provided on your application
Completion of searches of websites in the public domain (Court Services Online or police department websites)
Requesting your consent for completion of a Credit Check or Criminal Records Check
Requesting your consent to gather information from Service Providers
Completion of Reference Checks

If you are offered an available unit, you will normally be provided the opportunity to view the unit or a similar unit before making a decision.

Remember to keep your housing registry application updated with current contact information. Find out how to update your application form.

How much will I pay?

If you are offered a rent-geared-to-income unit, the amount you will pay depends on the size of your family and your gross household income.

If you are offered a low-end of market unit, you will pay an amount set at, or slightly below, private market rents. View information on rent-geared-to-income and market housing.

Are there other charges besides rent?

Some housing developments may have other charges. View the Housing Listings for notes about other charges or expenses. For example, some other charges may include:

Security deposit
A security deposit is held by the landlord and will be returned when your tenancy ends, if there has been no damage to the unit.

Pet Deposit
In buildings that allow pets, pet owners may be required to pay a pet deposit.

Co-operative Share
New co-operative members must buy a membership share to join a co-operative, similar to a security deposit. The cost of a co-operative share will vary. The share amount will be returned when you leave the co-operative, if there are no debts or damages to the unit.

Other charges may include:

cable television,
laundry,
parking and
utilities (gas and hydro).

How can someone show that they are disabled for income tax purposes?

Disabled for income tax purposes can be demonstrated by receiving the disability tax credit on the previous year's income tax return or by providing a copy of a letter from Canada Revenue Agency confirming that you have been approved for the Disability Tax Credit. Information on the process to apply for the Disability Tax Credit can be found here.

What subsidized housing options are available for seniors and people with disabilities?

There are three types of subsidized housing available to seniors and adults with disabilities.

Independent Housing - existing units.
Independent Housing - new - these are Seniors' Rental Housing units that have been added since November 2010.
Independent housing with services (meals and housekeeping) - these are Seniors' Supportive Housing units.

The application process is identical for all of these unit types. The area where you specify if you'd like to apply to a specific type of unit is Step 1 - Select Housing. The Housing Listings has separate lists for each type of unit available to you.

Who is considered a dependent child?

An unmarried child, stepchild, adopted child or legal ward, mainly supported by the applicant who is:

Under 19 years of age; or
Under 25 years of age and registered in full-time school, university or vocational institute which provides a recognized diploma, certificate, or degree; or
Of any age who, because of mental or physical infirmity, is accepted as a dependent for income tax purposes.

Please note: In The Housing Registry, some providers may have different criteria about what constitutes a dependent child.

What are the residency requirements?

Applicants must permanently reside in British Columbia when applying, and each member of the household must be one of the following:

Canadian citizens not under sponsorship
Individuals lawfully admitted into Canada for permanent residence and not under sponsorship
Refugees sponsored by the Government of Canada
Individuals who have applied for refugee status
Individuals for whom private sponsorship has broken down

What does live independently mean?

Applicants who can independently maintain their personal health and well-being in a self-contained living unit and who can fulfill tenancy obligations including paying rent, caring for their unit and maintaining appropriate relations with neighbours.

Applicants who require supports to live independently will be considered if they are able to demonstrate that the required supports are available in the community.

Low-income seniors or people with disabilities who need assistance in order to live independently can apply for specially modified rental homes, in selected subsidized housing developments. For more information, click here.

What size of unit do I qualify for?

The size of unit required by a household is governed by the National Occupancy Standards:

There shall be no more than 2 or less than 1 person per bedroom.
Spouses and couples share a bedroom.
Parents do not share a bedroom with children.
Dependants aged 18 or more do not share a bedroom.
Dependants aged 5 or more of opposite sex do not share a bedroom.

The following guidelines are used when applying the National Occupancy Standards:

In recognition of a variety of co-parenting arrangements, a dependent child who resides with their parent(s) a minimum of 40 per cent of the time will qualify as a permanent member of the household when determining eligibility and appropriate unit size.
Single applicants (seniors or people with disabilities) are eligible to apply for bachelor and one-bedroom units.
Couples (two individuals) are only eligible to apply for one bedroom units, as they would be under-housed in a bachelor unit.
To maximize the use of limited one-bedroom units, priority for available one bedroom units is generally applied as follows:
- Couples
- Single applicants with a documented medical need for a one-bedroom unit
- All other single applicants.

Do I need to provide a landlord reference?

Most housing providers perform landlord reference checks when they are reviewing applicants for future available units. If you do not have a landlord reference, some housing providers may consider other references such as:

A professional reference from someone who has known you for a reasonable period of time and who can vouch for your suitability as a tenant. This could include an employer, social worker, physician, pharmacist, advocate or case manager;
A personal reference from someone who has known you for a reasonable period of time, and who can vouch for your suitability as a tenant.

Applicants, who have been identified as potentially not eligible due to an unsatisfactory tenancy history, will be asked to provide a current and verifiable landlord reference(s) demonstrating that they have maintained a successful tenancy with no reoccurrence of the behaviours demonstrated in past tenancies. The landlord reference(s) must cover a minimum of six months for nuisance behaviours and a minimum of twelve months for anti-social or life safety behaviours.