Victoria Tenant Assistance Policy: TAP Rules for BC Landlords

What the Tenant Assistance Policy Covers

The City of Victoria's Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP) applies citywide to qualifying redevelopment that displaces tenants. The city's Tenant Protection Development Permit Area requires a development permit for such redevelopment and compliance with the Tenant Protection During Redevelopment Bylaw. Ordinary renovations and individual tenancy endings do not automatically trigger TAP.

TAP is a municipal policy enforced through Victoria's development permit process. The City won't approve your redevelopment application unless you demonstrate compliance with the policy's tenant assistance requirements.

TAP vs. the Provincial RTA

The provincial RTA provides the floor: a four-month notice for demolition or conversion (Form RTB-29), one month's rent compensation under Section 51(1), and the standard proof-of-service requirements. TAP adds a layer of municipal requirements on top of this.

Where Vancouver applies a 33-month rent top-up and a right of first refusal at current rent or 20% below city-wide average market rent, whichever is less, to eligible projects with enhanced protections, Victoria's TAP takes a different approach that's specific to its local housing context. Both policies share the same purpose — preventing tenant hardship during redevelopment — but the mechanics and compensation structures differ.

Critically, TAP does not replace any provincial obligation. You still need to serve the correct RTB notice form, follow deemed-service rules, keep proof-of-service records (Form RTB-34 can document service), and meet every timeline the RTA sets. TAP is an additional requirement, not an alternative pathway.

When TAP Applies and When It Doesn't

TAP is triggered by qualifying redevelopment that displaces tenants and requires a development permit. It's not relevant for:

• Single-unit tenancies: Ending a tenancy in a single-family home or individual strata unit for personal or purchaser occupancy, or for cause, follows the provincial RTA process without TAP if no qualifying redevelopment is involved. A sale alone does not end a tenancy or create a notice ground.
• Unpaid rent or cause notices: These do not trigger TAP by themselves; they follow the provincial RTA process.
• Properties outside Victoria city limits: Neighbouring municipalities like Saanich, Esquimalt, and Oak Bay have their own approaches (or none at all).

If you own a character home with a single secondary suite in Victoria and want to end the tenancy for personal use, TAP doesn't apply. Your obligations are the provincial three-month notice through the Landlord Use Web Portal, one month's rent compensation, and the 12-month occupancy commitment.

Navigating Both Layers

For landlords whose projects do trigger TAP, the compliance sequence runs in parallel:

1. Municipal track: Engage with the City of Victoria's planning department early. Your development permit application will need to include a tenant assistance plan that satisfies TAP requirements. Start this before serving any provincial notices.

2. Provincial track: Serve the appropriate RTB notice (typically RTB-29 for demolition or conversion) following the standard RTA process — correct form, deemed-service calculation, month-end alignment, and proof-of-service records such as Form RTB-34.

3. Compensation: Pay the provincial one-month rent compensation required under RTA Section 51(1), plus any additional TAP-mandated assistance. Track these separately — they serve different legal requirements and may have different payment timelines.

The biggest operational risk is timing. RTB dispute resolution queues in the Greater Victoria area are known for lengthy processing times. If a tenant disputes your notice and the RTB hearing is months out, your development timeline slips. Building this lag into your project schedule from the start is essential.

The Broader Picture

Victoria and Vancouver both layer municipal tenant protection onto the provincial framework, and other BC municipalities may follow. For any redevelopment project in a BC municipality, check whether a local tenant relocation or assistance policy exists before serving notice. The provincial RTA is the baseline, but it's not always the whole picture.

For the provincial notice process itself — every form, notice period, deemed service rule, and proof-of-service requirement — the Ending a Tenancy in British Columbia guide provides the complete compliance workflow with fillable worksheets.

See more British Columbia guides →