45% rent hike 'unbelievable,' East Van tenants say

Even $500 a month is pretty low rent. If this society really is non-profit, and not some sort of scam, they're going to have to charge what it takes to keep them going. Shows how poor the housing situation is in Vancouver.

The declined a $500,000 subsidy 2 years ago, and are now raising rents with 45%?

Things that make you go "hmmmmm"

Yep. But it's also true that their rents are very low. Maybe they didn't want all the bureaucratic strings that came with it. Maybe things like an audit?

The building is 42 years old. I'm sure people have lived there for 30 years or longer. Raise the rent for new tenants. Not on the ones that have been there forever.
There's a reason the rents are very low.

Doesn't BC have limits as to how much landlords can crank the rent up per year on occupied units?

As the article says, for 2012 it's 4.5%. But if the landlord makes substantial improvements he can apply for an exemption. It's actually a way that landlords raise the rent - kick people out for "renovations" then jack up the rents. I really wonder if this society needs to jack up the rents that much in one go. OTOH, if it's a non-profit, you'd think they would only raise rents to cover their costs - maybe they need that much. They'll have to make a case to the rentals board or whatever it's called.

As the article says, for 2012 it's 4.5%. But if the landlord makes substantial improvements he can apply for an exemption. It's actually a way that landlords raise the rent - kick people out for "renovations" then jack up the rents. I really wonder if this society needs to jack up the rents that much in one go. OTOH, if it's a non-profit, you'd think they would only raise rents to cover their costs - maybe they need that much. They'll have to make a case to the rentals board or whatever it's called.
And since they turned down a renovation grant from the Province of BC 2 years ago, they do not have a case.

As the article says, for 2012 it's 4.5%. But if the landlord makes substantial improvements he can apply for an exemption. It's actually a way that landlords raise the rent - kick people out for "renovations" then jack up the rents. I really wonder if this society needs to jack up the rents that much in one go. OTOH, if it's a non-profit, you'd think they would only raise rents to cover their costs - maybe they need that much. They'll have to make a case to the rentals board or whatever it's called.
Ok, so except for the rate, it's pretty much the same system as Ontario. And I gotta agree, I can't see any justification for cranking up the rent by 45%.