Funding Update Following B.C. Budget 2026

The B.C. budget was released today and we’ve been reviewing it closely.

Here’s what we can tell you: there is no clear commitment to renewed funding for BC Rent Bank. 

We are working now to receive clarification from government and hope to meet with senior decision makers in the coming days. We remain committed to working collaboratively to ensure this proven prevention tool remains available to communities across the province.

But we also need to be honest about what uncertainty does to a program like ours.

BC Rent Bank is a network of 19 community rent banks across the province. They are run by local organizations with real staff, real caseloads and real obligations to the people they serve.

When those organizations don’t know whether funding will continue, they are forced to plan for the worst case scenario. That means:

• Slowing or pausing intake at a time when demand is surging
• Delaying staffing decisions that affect the ability to respond to renters in crisis
• Preparing for possible wind-down — including notifying partners, managing caseloads and communicating with households mid-support

This isn’t hypothetical. Rent banks received over 9,000 inquiries in 2025. Applications rose 13% in a single year. Financial support to renters increased 16%. The need is real, it is growing and the people who deliver this work need to know whether they can keep doing it.

Since 2019, BC Rent Bank has helped more than 15,000 people stay housed, with a 91% success rate. Every dollar invested returns five in public savings — over $150 million in total across B.C. For every dollar invested in BC Rent Bank, the province saves five. That is not a cost — it is a return.

Again, we remain committed to working closely with government in the coming days and remain hopeful we can work collaboratively to ensure this proven prevention tool remains available to communities across the province.

Once we know more, we’ll provide an update. In the meantime, thank you for standing with B.C. renters.