Whereas climate change is worsening conditions and increasing vulnerabilities in the built environment, especially for low-income renters, and the majority of 2021 heat dome deaths were in low-income and multi-unit residential buildings that lacked access to cooling, and poor building maintenance contributes to poor occupant health; And whereas the Residential Tenancy Act RTA states in general terms that landlords must comply with health, safety, and housing standards required by law, including heat but not cooling; And whereas the Province of BC enables local government to enact standards of maintenance to enforce basic levels of maintenance for rental accommodation, but many local governments either do not have bylaws or bylaws that are inadequate in a changing climate: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to make the necessary changes to the Standards of Maintenance Guide to align the BC Building Code regulations for maximum and minimum temperature standards and ensure that considerations of health and climate hazards such as mould, precipitation, extreme heat and cold conditions, are included; And be it further resolved that the guidance be converted to regulation, with associated regional andor provincial supports for investigation and enforcement such that communities of every size have protection for renters.
