Housing and rent in British Columbia
Housing is the top concern in two recent BC polls. Here is what voters say, what the government reports, and what each party has published, with a source for every claim.
What voters say
- Research Co. (Aug 12–14, 2026): 29% name housing, poverty and homelessness as the most important issue facing BC, the top issue overall; among ages 35–54 it is 36% (Research Co.).
- Leger (Apr 3–6, 2026): 30% name housing affordability as a top concern, alongside healthcare at 29%; government approval on housing, healthcare and the economy is below 50% (Leger).
The facts
The BC government reports the following in a June 2, 2026 news release (news.gov.bc.ca). These are government claims, not independent findings:
- Average asking rent in BC fell 12.5%, from $2,671 in August 2023 to $2,338 in April 2026, a reduction of $333 a month.
- Average asking rent in Vancouver and Burnaby is more than $650 lower than the 2023 peak, and BC has the largest year-over-year asking-rent declines of any province.
- BC Builds broke ground on its 4,000th unit, with nearly 820 new homes in Burnaby.
How to read this: asking rent is what landlords advertise for available units. It does not describe what existing tenants pay, and it says nothing about home prices or ownership.
Where the parties stand
| Party | What it has published |
|---|---|
| BC NDP (government) | Says its Homes for People plan, action on short-term rentals, zoning changes and BC Builds are delivering lower rents and more rental construction (government release, June 2, 2026). |
| Conservative Party of BC | Its platform page pledges to “end the housing shortage and make life more affordable” through a “Get BC Building” plan. The page gives no detailed measures and carries no date (platform page). |
| BC Greens | The 2024 platform costs additional housing spending at $1.6 billion in Year 1, $2.1 billion in Year 2 and $1.6 billion in Year 3, and estimates that eliminating deep poverty and ending homelessness would cost over $3 billion a year (2024 platform). |
| CentreBC | No concrete housing position. Its policy committee is developing its first policy pillars, including affordability, and promises a full platform before the next election (policy page). |
| OneBC | Lists as a priority to “make homeownership attainable again” by opening new land for development and eliminating taxes that inflate housing prices (OneBC priorities). |
How we describe positions: only what a party or the government has published, with a link. Government statements are labelled as the government's claims. Where we found nothing, we say so. Positions come from platform and policy pages reviewed as of September 20, 2026; several parties have not yet published a 2026 platform, and the Conservative and Green pages cited may pre-date the current leaders. BC Vote Watch does not rank or endorse parties. Corrections: see our sourcing rules.
What to watch
Watch for any party publishing costed housing measures, and independent rent and starts data that can be compared with the government's asking-rent figures.
FAQ
Have BC rents gone down?
The BC government says average asking rent fell 12.5% between August 2023 ($2,671) and April 2026 ($2,338) (news release). Asking rents are advertised prices for available units, not what existing tenants pay.
What do voters say is BC's biggest issue?
In Research Co.'s August 2026 poll, 29% said housing, poverty and homelessness, ahead of the economy and jobs (24%) and health care (21%) (Research Co.).
What is BC Builds?
The government describes BC Builds as its program to build homes; it says the program broke ground on its 4,000th unit in June 2026 (release).