B.C. is responding to increasing complaints of violence and drug use in supportive housing units by looking at removing Residential Tenancy Act protections for residents to make it easier to create stricter rules and kick problem tenants out.
"We have heard from providers that they need more authority to take action and keep people safe, and we will be working with our partners to find a path forward that ensures people can live in a safe, inclusive and supportive environment," said Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon in a news release.
The province is bringing together a working group of police, supportive housing providers, government officials and union representatives to examine the issue.
Simultaneously, the province is working with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and WorkSafeBC to figure out how to respond to the impacts on indoor air quality in supportive housing from people smoking and inhaling fentanyl, which has surpassed injection as the predominant fentanyl use method.
Early indications from a series of tests at 14 buildings in Victoria and Vancouver show some areas of supportive housing units are more likely to have elevated levels of airborne fentanyl.
Results from those tests are still being analyzed.
More to come.
