Just over one week ago, the BC Ministry of Housing announced the maximum allowable rent increase for next year, and in response, people aren’t necessarily thrilled with the news.
The reaction to the news might seem unsurprising, as nobody wants to see their rent increase, especially in the province with the highest rental rates in the country.
While many understand the need for a rent increase, some feel it isn’t proportionate to other financial realities, like wages and other costs. We received numerous comments from our readers in our initial story, and the topic has been widely discussed on social media by experts and other members of the public.
And as we’ve seen historically, there’s a divide on the topic between landlords and tenants.
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If you missed it, the BC Ministry of Housing has set the rent increase cap for 2026 at 2.3 per cent.
One expert we’ve spoken to in the past, property manager Keaton Bessey, who has some strong feelings about the 2.3 figure.
“This number is entirely political,” Bessey wrote on X.
“While any number for a Landlord who has rented one to three years ago does not matter much — rents have fallen — anyone else with tenancies longer than three years is still likely well under market. Rent control opts the government out of helping those who need it. Otherwise, it’s friendly policy for a large chunk of the population.”
Another group that chimed in is LandlordBC. While it recognized the financial strain on British Columbians, “particularly renters,” the landlord advocacy group said it should do better to support housing providers.
“LandlordBC maintains that the simplest and most effective solution is to restore the CPI + two per cent rent increase formula, eliminated in 2019, to ensure predictability and sustainability in the face of rising costs for maintenance, insurance, utilities, financing, and property management,” LandlordBC said in a statement.
“Without these measures, the Province risks discouraging investment in both existing rental operations and new purpose-built rental housing,” it added.
Bessey shared some of his thoughts on the CPI with Daily Hive Urbanized.
“The government uses this number as a tool for political support. The basis for the number (CPI +/-?) has been changed constantly since the pandemic, and it does not reflect at all the costs of landlords,” Bessey said.
He added, “In today’s market, the market is reducing rents. Rents are coming down, [and] tenants are negotiating reductions if their leases began in the last 3 years. The people who need the assistance of rent control are the ones the government should be focusing on assisting, but they have no idea who these people are.”
Bessey referred to the increase as a blanket for the entire province.
“Pick an arbitrary number, and hope for the best–but at least it makes them look good to a large portion of the province: non-landlord homeowners and tenants.”
“I’m so sick of rent increases”
ArmanMkrtchyan/Shutterstock
Following our initial story about the BC Ministry of Housing’s announcement of the rent increase, we received numerous comments from diverse perspectives.
One comment was from someone who identified themselves as a senior, who said, “I do understand why it could be necessary, but I don’t get an increase in many of my pensions.”
Others called out the government directly.
“The provincial government is out of touch. Limiting rent increases to a nominal 2.3 per cent, but then increases its own spending ten times this amount,” the commenter said, adding that cities should set rent limits and cap their own spending increases at the same rate.
Someone else said, “This is a joke,” and then suggested that it should follow the COVID-19 rent rules. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government imposed a rent freeze.
Another reader raised concerns about the lack of vacancy control, which means that when someone vacates an apartment, the landlord or property manager can set the rent at any amount they choose. We reported on this in the past.
On X, someone said that the market should dictate rent rates.
Rent prices should be driven by demand and supply
— DatDude (@maxinik83904) August 28, 2025
Another reader’s comment was straight to the point, saying, “I’m so sick of rent increases. If rent goes up every year, so should our pay. I can’t afford rent increases every year. Maybe once every five years.”
Someone else asked if renters were concerned that landlords could increase the rent beyond the allowable threshold. One way landlords can do this is through rent increases for capital expenditures, which allows them to apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for additional rent increases for items such as maintenance, addressing health and safety needs, repairs, or other similar factors.
Regardless of how you feel about the 2.3 per cent increase, it will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
The 2025 rent increase cap is three per cent. It’s important to note that despite the 2.3 per cent increase kicking in on Jan. 1, 2026, if your 2025 rent increase goes into effect on Oct. 1, 2025, you’ll still be paying for that three per cent increase until Oct. 1, 2026, when you’re hit with an additional 2.3 per cent increase.
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