B.C. Minister of Finance Carole James has instated a new emergency order that prohibits commercial landlords from evicting their tenants until at least the end of June.
This order under the Emergency Program Act ties in with the federal Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (CECRA) that requires landlords of eligible businesses to apply for funding.
See also: Applications for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program open May 25
Businesses whose landlords choose not to apply for CECRA will be banned from evicting their tenants and citing unpaid rent as the reason until at least the end of the month. The order will be extended if the CECRA program is extended.
“The federal launch of the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program has been a welcome step in B.C., but we heard from small businesses that they need us to help fill a gap that has left some of them unable to get the support they need,” said James.
“Preventing landlords who are eligible for CECRA from evicting tenants can encourage landlords to apply for the program and give some temporary relief to businesses who have been hardest hit by the pandemic.”
The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program provides 75 per cent in rent reduction for small businesses, with 50 per cent of these costs covered by the federal government, and 25 per cent to be covered by landlords.
Through this program, applied for by property owners, landlords must offer a minimum of a 75% rent reduction for the months of April, May and June 2020.
The emergency order restricting termination of lease agreements and the repossession of goods and property goes into effect immediately.
