LandlordBC is calling on the province to enhance its current rental subsidy program that was put in place because of COVID-19.

Speaking on NL Newsday, CEO David Hutniak says the current amounts of $300 and $500 are inadequate for most renters as it doesn’t meet the high rental costs in most major cities in the province.

He’s calling on the province to increase the rental amounts to $750 for renters with no dependents and $1,000 for renters with dependents.

“Frankly targeting folks living alone with that bigger jump from the $300 to the $750 because you know the bottom line is it there’s a big gap in rents and its not just unique to the Lower Mainland, its true in Victoria and Kelowna etc, so we feel that its really important that this be addressed before May 1,” he said.

Hutniak is also calling on the government to extend the program through to August and remove the income test needed for people to qualify.

“Of the well over 61,000 applications, the vast majority are living alone so I think that is a vulnerable renter population,” Hutniak said. “You know they only have one source of income, they don’t necessarily have a partner or anyone who may still be working or they both draw on federal programming.”

He acknowledges that the program has helped thousands of renters in B.C. pay rent for April so far, but notes the stakes are high moving forward.

“Individuals and or couples who have been impacted by this, they may not qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) benefit because you know quote-unquote, their income was too high,” he said. “The reality is they are unable to pay their rent and so we feel that income test really should be eliminated.”

LandlordBC is predicting a significant spike in the number of renters unable to pay their rent on May 1.

Speaking to NL News last week, B.C.’s housing critic, and Kamloops South Thompson MLA, Todd Stone too said that the province’s temporary rental supplement – while helpful – is failing to help out many British Columbians.