Subsidized Housing

• Family – Defined as a minimum of two people, including one dependent child. 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.
• Senior – Defined as a single person age 55 and older, or a couple where at least one person is age 55 or older*
• People with disabilities – Those who can live independently and are in receipt of a recognized disability pension or are considered disabled for income tax purposes.
• Single people and couples – You are a single person, or a couple, with a low income and homeless, or at risk of homelessness. In addition, you do not meet the definitions of seniors or people with disabilities.

*Some housing providers using the Housing Registry may use a different age to define a senior.

See our Glossary for definitions.

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

• Canadian citizen
• Individual lawfully admitted into Canada for permanent residence
• Refugee sponsored by the Government of Canada
• Individual who has applied for refugee status
• Ukrainians in Canada under the Canada-Ukrainian Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) visa

No adult members of the household can be under private sponsorship, except where BC Housing has accepted that private sponsorship has broken down. 

To be eligible for subsidized housing, the applicant’s gross household income must be below certain income limits, as established by the  Housing Income Limits (HILs) are determined by BC Housing from time to time, and represent the income required to pay the average market rent for an appropriately sized unit in the private market. Average market rents are derived from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Annual Rent Market Survey.

Exceptions:

• Applicants from households with income over the HILs can be considered if the applicant is applying for developments with market rents or low end of market units.  
• The Senior's Rental Housing program has different income* limits based on your location in the province.
  • Lower Mainland – $58,000
  • Southern BC – $57,000
  • Vancouver Island – $57,000
  • Northern BC – $47,000

*The income limit may be slightly lower in developments where the market rent is capped.

Over the income limit? Additional units are available for moderate income seniors or persons with disabilities. See Affordable Rental Housing.

See our Glossary for definitions.

For buildings managed by BC Housing, in order to be eligible your household assets must be less than $100,000. BC Housing’s asset policy has been developed to benefit those in greatest need and to prevent people from having to deplete all of their resources.

Individual non-profit or co-operative housing providers will decide if they are going to apply an asset ceiling and the maximum allowable assets may vary by provider. 

Assets that are included for valuation are:

•  Stocks, bonds, term deposits, mutual funds and cash.
•  Real estate equity, net of debt.
•  Business equity in a private incorporated company including cash, GICs, bonds, stocks or real estate equity.   

Assets that are excluded from valuation include:

•  Personal effects such as vehicles, jewellery and furniture.
•  Bursaries or scholarships from educational institutions for any household member that is a current student.
• Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs), Registered Retirement Saving Plans (RRSPs), and Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs.) 
•  Trade and business tools essential to continue currently active employment, such as farm equipment, specialized tools and vehicles.
•  Assets derived from compensatory packages from government, for example Indian Residential School Settlements and Japanese Canadian Redress.  

Potential exclusion criteria – Applicants may be excluded from consideration for The Housing Registry if any of the following apply:

• Unsatisfactory tenancy history (based on landlord references (see below), receipt of notices to end tenancies, or review of past tenancies in subsidized housing).
• Provision of false or fraudulent information.
• Failure to provide documents as requested, or consent as needed to verify information provided and to determine eligibility.
• Unable to demonstrate an ability to pay rent and/or failure to apply for and receive income from income programs, such as, but not limited to, the Ministry of Social Development or the Canada Pension Plan.
• Debt to a subsidized housing provider in B.C. (see section f)
• Do not meet residency requirements.  
• Unable to live independently   with supports.
• Do not meet defined household groups (as defined in section a).
• Deliberately worsened current housing situation.
• Demonstration of unacceptable behaviours either in relation to a tenancy or in the community at large that may threaten the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment of a community by others. 
• If there is cause to believe that a household member is engaging in or has a history of criminal activity that may threaten the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment of the community by others, including the manufacturing or production of illegal drugs.

Note: Applicants who may be potentially excluded based on any of the above will be provided with an opportunity to provide additional information and/or documentation in support of their application to demonstrate suitability as a potential tenant. Each application and supporting documents shall be evaluated on its own merit.

Mandatory exclusion criteria

The Housing Registry will not accept applications from individuals or members of a household that have been convicted of or who have outstanding charges related to sexual interference with a child and/or possession of child pornography.

Housing Registry members wish to maximize the use of limited available affordable housing by matching eligible applicants to units that meet their needs, in a community where they can be appropriately supported in order to provide them with the best chance of a successful tenancy while cultivating communities free from fear of violence, criminal activity and disturbances of any nature that pose a risk to others.

Demonstrated unacceptable behaviours

Applicants who have demonstrated any of the following unacceptable behaviours either in relation to a tenancy or in the community at large may be excluded from consideration unless they can provide additional information and/or documentation in support of their application to demonstrate suitability as a potential tenant. Each application and supporting documents shall be evaluated on their own merit.

• Anti-Social Behaviours – Actions that have caused an unreasonable disturbance or form of harassment to other persons, or damage to property. Examples may include, but are not limited to, verbal abuse, harassment, vandalism, theft of property, racial abuse, prostitution, throwing objects likely to cause harm, substance misuse (illegal substances), and unintentional fires.
• Risks to Life Safety Behaviours – Actions that have endangered that person’s own safety or the safety of others or that have created a tangible risk to the applicant or to other persons and/or property. Examples include, but are not limited to violence of any nature, murder or manslaughter, drug trafficking, weapons offences, arson, criminal harassment, sexual assault (formally known as rape), physical assault (with or without a weapon), threats to kill or cause physical harm, vandalism to life safety systems, theft with violence or threats, kidnapping, unlawful confinement, and/or home invasions. This would also include identification by law enforcement as participants in gang related activity, regardless of conviction for the activity.
• Nuisance Behaviours – Actions that would be considered a breach of the Tenancy Agreement that are not Risks to Life Safety or Anti-Social Behaviours. Examples may include, but are not limited to, noise nuisance, cleanliness issues that cause smells/pests/health issues, smoking or drinking alcohol under age or in restricted areas, substance misuse (non-illegal substances), begging.

Information on what an applicant needs to provide in order to be considered for housing when there are unacceptable behaviours linked to a past tenancy can be found by reading the next section (below): landlord references.

Applications being reviewed based on demonstrated risk to life safety, anti-social, nuisance behaviours and/or criminal activity, not linked to a past tenancy, may be considered if:

• Applicant can provide written certification that the offending household member(s) is/are no longer a part of the household; or
• Five years or more have elapsed since conviction, time served, and probation or parole for criminal activities that may threaten the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment of the community for others.
• Offending household member(s) is/are able to certify corrective actions taken to change unacceptable behaviours such as satisfactory evidence of participation in or receiving services through a supported housing program.

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.
• Proof of completion of the RentSmart program through Ready to Rent BC. RentSmart is a 12 hour course that covers a range of topics to assist participants in getting and maintaining housing. More information on the course and course availability can be on their website: www.readytorentbc.org. 

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.

Tenants who previously lived in subsidized housing may be eligible to reapply, provided they meet the residency, income limit and target group criteria, as well as the following special criteria:

• Applicants must have no outstanding debt from any previous tenancy with BC Housing or any members of the Housing Registry.* Applicants with outstanding debt will be asked to pay in full, or enter into a repayment plan for the outstanding amount.
• Previous subsidized housing tenants may be subject to a file review. If the previous tenancy was ended for cause, applicants may not be eligible to reapply. Files will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  

*To find out which subsidized housing developments are managed by members of the Housing Registry see Housing Listings.

• A third-party verifier must be familiar with the applicant’s current housing circumstance and/or health situation and housing needs.
• A third-party verifier cannot be the applicant’s private market landlord, friend, neighbour or a relative of the applicant.
• Please note that The Housing Registry does not reimburse third-party verifiers for completing a Supplemental Application Form .
• For a list of accepted third-party verifiers, please see below. For more information, call our Inquiry Line at 604-433-2218, or toll-free at 1-800-257-7756.

Other situations

Verifiers not listed above may be considered case-by-case based on their ability to demonstrate familiarity with the applicant’s current housing circumstance and/or health situation and housing needs. Some examples:

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. 

Different housing providers may 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 (see definition)

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 Housing Registry Supplemental Application Form completed by a third party verifier.

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. 

Different housing providers may 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 (see definition)

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 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.

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. 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
  • Utilities (gas and hydro)

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.

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

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

The application process is identical for all of these unit types. 

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.

Note: Some housing providers may have different criteria about what constitutes a dependent child.

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

• Canadian citizen
• Individual lawfully admitted into Canada for permanent residence
• Refugee sponsored by the Government of Canada
• Individual who has applied for refugee status

No adult members of the household can be under private sponsorship, except where BC Housing has accepted that private sponsorship has broken down.

Applicants who can independently maintain their personal health and well-being in a self-contained living unit and who can fulfil 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.

The size of unit required by a household is governed by the National Occupancy Standards. Please refer to section 3.  Find and Select Housing >  National Occupancy Standards for more information.

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 - this could include an employer, social worker, physician, pharmacist, advocate or case manager
• A personal reference
• Proof of completion of the RentSmart program through Ready to Rent BC - a 12 hour course that covers topics to assist participants in getting and maintaining housing. 

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.

Each housing provider has its own pet policy and if they allow pets, there may be restrictions on both the types and number of pets you can have.

Pet Ownership Rules