VANCOUVER – The Campbell government's failure to protect tenants from mass evictions prompted New Democrat housing critic Diane Thorne to introduce a private members bill in the legislature today to improve the Residential Tenancy Act.

"Tenants need protection from mass evictions such as those seen recently at several Hollyburn Properties in Metro Vancouver," said Thorne, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville. "But the Campbell government is just standing back and watching as people lose their homes.Diane Thorne

Thorne's legislation is a response to a recent trend of large corporations such as Hollyburn Properties evicting tenants at several buildings under the auspices of required renovations.

"My legislation would protect tenants from being evicted by landlords attempting to redevelop affordable housing into high rental units or condos," said Thorne. "These mass evictions are adding to the affordable housing crisis across Metro Vancouver."

Thorne’s bill extends the required notice for evictions from two months to four months. It also provides tenants the option to move back into their homes after renovations are complete under the same tenancy agreement and within the existing guidelines for rent increases.

“These measures make it less attractive for large property owners to engage in mass evictions purely for the sake of increased profit,” said Thorne.

Thorne said her bill is modeled after similar legislation passed in Ontario in 2006.

"The Campbell government is lagging behind other provinces on tenant protection at a time when B.C. faces an affordable housing crisis," said Thorne. "The situation will only get worse under this uncaring government."