Assisted and Supported Living Tenancies (19:XV)

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by the Law Students' Legal Advice Program on 22 July 2026.

The RTA does not cover tenancies in a community care facility under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, in a continuing care facility under the Continuing Care Act, or in a housing-based health facility that provides hospitality support services and personal health care.

Assisted living facilities, as defined in section 1 of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, are excluded from the RTA for disputes arising on or after February 23, 2026. For disputes that arose before February 23, 2026, whether the RTA applies will depend on the facility. If the Act is found to apply, claims may still be brought in relation to issues that arose before the February 23, 2026 exclusion took effect.

Supportive Housing has a more complex relationship with the RTA and how the Act is applied.

Supportive housing is long-term or permanent living accommodation for individuals who need some support services to live independently. Supports offered on-site by supportive housing providers are non-clinical, and residents are not required to receive supports to maintain their housing. Any policies put in place by supportive housing providers must be consistent with the RTA and regulations. See RTB PG 46 for transitional housing, health facilities, and rehabilitative and therapeutic housing.

Supportive Housing rental units are covered by the RTA. As with any issue of jurisdiction, whether the RTA applies turns specifically on the facts of a tenancy and on whether any of the exemptions in RTA s 4 apply. If an accommodation is exempt from the RTA, the resident receives none of the protections under the RTA.

Supportive housing units are excluded from three sections of the RTA:

• s 28, which covers the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment;
• s 29, which restricts a landlord’s ability to enter units; and
• s 30(1)(b) which relates to the landlord’s ability to prohibit guests.

These exemptions were put in place due to the unique circumstances of supportive housing where part of the housing provider’s job is checking on the tenants’ well-being and ensuring the building is secure (Residential Tenancy Policy Guideline: 46. Transitional and Supportive Housing, Rehabilitative Housing, Seniors Housing).

Amendments to the RTA are being made through the Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, 2026. Several sections, including s 7, of the Act have not yet come into force as they are set to be put into effect on a date set by regulation of the lieutenant governor, meaning it is currently unclear when they will be operational.

S 7 of the Act will add in a new division to the RTA related to supportive housing. There are significant amendments in this section. The first major amendment is that s 7 creates a statutory definition of a supportive housing rental unit. A rental supportive housing unit is a unit rented by a supportive housing operator to a tenant who has been assessed as experiencing or being at risk of homelessness, and who would benefit from housing stability support.

S 7 also adds limitations to a supportive housing provider’s ability to enter units, filling in the gap left by the earlier exemption supportive housing has received from s 29 of the RTA. Once brought into force, a supportive housing provider may only enter a tenant’s unit for either a prescribed purpose, at a prescribed time, or in prescribed circumstance. These prescriptions may be part of the contract signed to lease the unit.

Additionally, s 7 creates an expedited eviction process for a supportive housing provider if a unit is found to contain a weapon. Because the term "weapon" will be defined in the regulation when section 7 comes into force, it is not yet clear what items will fall within its scope.

Section 7 also gives the Province the authority to exempt supportive housing landlords from certain provisions of the Residential Tenancy Act. If the Province chooses to grant an exemption, it may permit a supportive housing landlord to restrict a tenant's access to the property or seize the tenant's property. These are not blanket exemptions but discretionary powers that may be exercised in specific circumstances. As with the other provisions in section 7, it remains unclear when this authority will come into force or how it will be implemented in practice.

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