Tenants Catch CAPREIT Subdividing Units to Raise Rents

New West Tenants Union -

Over the past two months, we have been working with tenants in a New Westminster CAPREIT building to investigate an effort to squeeze 3 bedroom rents out of a 1 bedroom unit. Some of this investigation was reported on by CTV Thursday evening, which you can read about for yourself in the linked article.

Landlord tried to convert 1-bedroom units into multiple rooms, Metro Vancouver tenants say
It was the loud construction and series of Amazon packages that tipped off a group of tenants living at a rental building in New Westminster, B.C.
British Columbia

The tenants have provided picture and video evidence from that unit, along with establishing a link to Harrington Housing. Numerous online ads from Harrington show this is much bigger than just one building: throughout the Lower Mainland and in Victoria, 1 bedroom units mostly in CAPREIT buildings are being converted into 3 bedroom units using thin temporary walls, with no living room and a shared bathroom and kitchen. These units are being advertised online for $1,100-$1,500 a month per room. It adds up to $4,000 a month for a 1 bedroom unit.

Soon after tenants reported this to the New Westminster Bylaw Department, they saw the units and temporary walls being removed and transported back to CAPREIT offices (which they captured photo evidence of as well). When the city came to investigate, the walls were gone, and the tenants were told that they couldn’t do anything, despite the evidence they had of the subdivided units and their hasty dismantling.

In a statement to CTV, CAPREIT said subdividing 1 bedroom units was “to address the housing supply shortage, which is a concern in communities across the country.” But tenants have been living in overcrowded units for years to find affordable housing. Putting up fake walls and doubling the rent isn't affordable or addressing the housing shortage — it's capitalizing on it.

We are extremely concerned that CAPREIT is converting livable homes into dorm-style housing that will make it even harder for New Westminster renters to find and maintain stable, affordable, and quality housing in our city. We deserve better than to be packed into smaller and smaller units at higher and higher prices. If you live in a CAPREIT building and have noticed anything suspicious, like large Amazon deliveries and workers moving furniture or temporary walls into vacant units, please contact us.

Get Involved

Want to join our volunteer, renter-led action team to help? Send us an email at nwtenantsunion@gmail.com and let's make this happen.

Plus, we're always on the lookout for Building Contacts who can support the New West Tenants Union's work by keeping us posted of issues at rental buildings around the city.

Learn more about Building Contacts and what your role could be in organizing for stronger tenants' rights in your building here.