Renters in British Columbia
It can be difficult to find a place to rent in many communities, even if you earn a decent middle-income salary. BC Builds is working to change that.
BC Builds will help middle-income British Columbians—such as teachers, nurses, transit operators, construction workers, small business owners, and others—find housing they can afford in the communities where they live.
BC Builds targets creating housing that is attainable for households with incomes up to $143,900 for residential units with less than two (2) bedrooms (households without children) and up to $212,240 for residential units with two (2) or more bedrooms (households with children). These limits may vary by community to reflect local incomes, and some households may earn less than these thresholds; households below the limit are still eligible. These thresholds are designed to pick up where other BC Housing programs for low- to moderate-income households leave off. Any household above the applicable income limit is ineligible for BC Builds housing.
Rental rates for BC Builds homes will be determined through an analysis of local incomes, appraised market rents, and development costs within the community. This means rents will differ from community to community. BC Builds projects owned and operated by non-profit societies, First Nations development corporations, or public entities where grants are provided will have at least 20% of units set at 20% below market rates.
People who earn less than community middle income range annually will be eligible to live in a BC Builds studio or one-bedroom home however, they would likely pay more than 30% of their income toward the rent and may be better served by BC Housing’s affordable rental housing and rental subsidy programs that serve low-and moderate-income households. If you are looking for low-income or supportive housing through BC Housing, please visit bchousing.org.
As BC Builds projects are completed in the coming years, rental opportunities will be managed by the non-profit and private developers operating the buildings. A list of completed projects that are accepting applications for their first tenants will be made available on this page.