Quesnel City Council has now adopted a Minimum Rental Standards Bylaw.
The idea behind it is to help ensure that renters have accommodations that are up to an appropriate living standard.
City Councillor Scott Elliott says it’s been a long time coming…
“This is something that myself and many Councillors have been passionate about for years. It’s a great step for our community. It means we’re moving forward with trying to make housing safer in our community and have some landlords or owners step up to the plate and make them safe.”
Tanya Turner, the Director of Development Services with the City, says they have talked to the various service agencies to help tenants out if need be…
“We do not anticipate going in full guns and throwing people out of their homes, that is not the intent, it is for the tenants and for their safety. We intend to work very directly with the landlords and the property owners to try and get them to resolve any issues. We will take all resolve to try and not have anybody put on the street.”
Turner says if there is a case where they can’t or won’t make the changes then they will be in discussions with the appropriate ministries to help the tenants.
The vote to pass this bylaw was unanimous.