When will my rental assistance be effective?
As long as you are eligible, your assistance will be effective the month we receive your application in our office. For example, if your application is received in our office on March 29, your application will be effective the month of March. The Rental Assistance Program pays in arrears; the payment made at the end of March is reimbursement for rent paid for the month of March.

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

How is the rental assistance paid?
The assistance is only paid by direct deposit to your bank account. Deposits are made on the last working day of each month. You will need to provide us with a VOID cheque or a Preauthorized Debit Form from your bank. If you do not currently have a bank account, you will need to open one.

What if I haven't filed an income tax return?
Filing an income tax return is a requirement of the program. If you or your spouse has not filed a tax return you will not be eligible.

I’ve filed my Tax Return, but Canada Revenue Agency hasn't processed it yet. Can I still submit my application?
Yes. Once your application has been received by BC Housing, you will have up to 90 days to gather and submit any missing information.

What if I have children 19 years or older living with me who are not considered dependent or I share with someone who is not part of my immediate family?
Depending on the number of adults living in the rental unit, a portion of the full monthly rent will be allocated to your household and this amount will be used when calculating assistance through the program.

My minor child (under age 19) has a part-time job; do I need to declare their income?
No, the assistance through the program is based on the income of yourself and your spouse (if applicable).

How will I know the status of my Rental Assistance Program application?
BC Housing will contact you by mail.

What happens if my income changes?
The assistance is based on your previous year’s income. Fluctuations throughout the year will be captured on your next income tax return and will affect the amount of your assistance in the future. If your income has significantly decreased and is a permanent change, contact BC Housing to determine if you may be eligible for an adjustment.

What happens if I go on income assistance?
You must notify us immediately at 604-433-2218 or 1-800-257-7756 outside the Lower Mainland.

Failure to advise BC Housing that you are receiving income assistance will result in a debt that will need to be repaid.

What happens if I move or my rent amount changes?
Please inform BC Housing immediately so that we can make the necessary changes to your file and adjust your assistance accordingly. If your rent has decreased you should contact BC Housing immediately to avoid overpayments which you will be required to repay. If your rent has increased your assistance may increase if you are not already at the rent ceiling.

What happens when my youngest child turns 19?
The age of your dependent(s) will be considered at each annual reapplication. At that time, if your dependent(s) status no longer meet the criteria requirements of the program you will no longer be eligible for assistance.

Under the Rental Assistance Program, dependent status is considered when a child is:

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

Do I declare my rental assistance on my annual income tax return?
No. Rental assistance is a non-taxable rent benefit.

What does or doesn't count toward the $100,000 asset ceiling?

Considered

Not Considered

Real estate / property (within Canada or overseas)
Stocks/ bonds/ term deposits/ mutual funds / shares
Cash
Business equity - equity value in private incorporated company of cash, GIC’s bonds, stocks or real estate held by company

Vehicles
Bursaries or scholarships from educational institutions for any household member that is a current student
Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) and Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs)
Personal effects; e.g. vehicles, jewellery, furniture
Trade and business tools essential to continue currently active employment; e.g. farm equipment, vehicle
Asset Development Accounts; savings programs that are designed to assist individuals to achieve savings for the purposes of future self-sufficiency or future enhanced self-sufficiency. Such assets are excluded for the period that the applicant is participating in the asset development account program.
Assets derived from compensatory packages from government (examples include: Indian Residential School Settlements and Japanese Canadian Redress)

How is the Rental Assistance subsidy calculated?
The Rental Assistance Program reimburses a percentage of the difference 30 percent of your gross household income and your rent, subject to the maximum rent ceilings.

Who is considered a dependent child?
Under the Rental Assistance Program, dependent status is considered when a child is:

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

Do I have to be off income assistance for any period of time before I can apply to the Rental Assistance Program?
There is no time limit for being off of income assistance before you are eligible to apply for the Rental Assistance Program. To be eligible and apply for rental assistance you will need to provide official documentation confirming the last day that you will receive an income assistance payment.

However, if you are receiving rental assistance and have to go back on Income Assistance you must notify us immediately at 604-433-2218 or 1-800-257-7756 outside the Lower Mainland.

If you receive any rental assistance payments while on income assistance your account will become suspended and any overpayments will be owed to BC Housing and will need to be repaid.

Why is there a minimum rent contribution?
As the Rental Assistance Program reimburses low-income, working families who already rent in the private market, it is reasonable to expect recipients to make a minimum contribution towards their rent.

How do the December 2009 changes impact me?
If you are a new applicant, applying on November 1, 2009 or later, the formula for assistance will include a minimum rent contribution of $495 or 33% of your total household income (whichever is greater.)

Households who are paying less than 33% of income towards rent will not be eligible for assistance.

If you are an existing Rental Assistance Program recipient or an an eligible applicant who applied prior to November 1, 2009, the new rates will be phased in during your annual re-application process beginning in February 2010. (Recipients re-apply each year in the month of their birth.)

If I begin to receive payments through the Rental Assistance Program will my application for subsidized housing be cancelled?
No. We encourage eligible families who have registered with The Housing Registry to apply to the Rental Assistance Program, as the Rental Assistance Program can provide some financial assistance while they are looking for more alternate housing. If eligible for the program your application with The Housing Registry will remain active and will continue to be considered for units as they become available in the developments or areas selected. Once you receive a unit through The Housing Registry your rental assistance payments will stop.

What municipalities are included in the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD)?
Aldergrove, Anmore, Belcarra, Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Lions Bay, North Vancouver, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver, and White Rock.

Why am I not eligible for rent assistance if I am on Income Assistance?
The Rental Assistance Program is a 'shelter' subsidy provided by the provincial government. Income Assistance is a government assistance that has a 'shelter' subsidy within it. You cannot receive two of the same form of subsidy from the government, so those receiving Income Assistance are not eligible until their income assistance has ended.

If it is necessary for you to go onto income assistance, you should receive your shelter portion from income assistance and not from the Rental Assistance Program.

For more information:

Do I have to be off income assistance for any period of time before I can apply to the Rental Assistance Program?

How is my information used and protected?
BC Housing only collects information from applicants applying for the Rental Assistance Program in accordance with Section 26c of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the FOI Act).

We do not disclose your information to other public bodies or individuals except as authorized by law. We keep the information only for the length of time necessary to fulfill the purpose(s) for which it was collected.

If you have questions about the collection or use of your information, please call 604-433-1711 and ask to speak to BC Housing’s FOI Officer or email to: FOIPP@bchousing.org.