Friday April 4, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
More people will now benefit from enhancements to the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program, helping low-income families and seniors afford their rent.
Recipients on these programs will have received letters in the mail delivering the good news.
Yesterday in Victoria, BC Housing and Municipal Affairs Ministry Ravi Kahlon announced that $75 million would be available to boost the performance of both programs. That amount was already included in Budget 2025.
Kahlon was joined by Susie Chant, parliamentary secretary for seniors’ services and long-term care; Green MLA Rob Botterell; and BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt for the announcement that was delivered outside the BC Parliament buildings on a sunny Thursday morning. MLA Harwinder Sandu also attended – she is the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture.
The light breeze of that morning carried a slight sense of things going in the right direction for seniors and struggling families but there are underpinnings of difficulty:
- Rents in BC continue to be are higher than the threshold used in rent support calculations.
- When cash supports for rent tip the recipient’s income over a certain threshold, there are other benefits lost (e.g. Pharmacare deductible).
- Improvements to the SAFER and RAP program funding mechanisms have been sporadic over the years, dependent on the insights of the NDP government which still needed a nudge (there was no restructuring of the SAFER calculation between 2018 and 2023).
Kahlon has supported SAFER improvements in his time as Housing Minister (2021 to 2024) and now as Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs (since November 2024).
“Supporting seniors and vulnerable families is top of mind. We know that many families have faced the challenges with global inflation, with interest rates going up. But now with the new uncertainties that come with tariffs it is seniors and low income families that are going to face the brunt of a lot of those tariffs and the impacts of those,” said Kahlon as he began his remarks at the outdoor podium.
He itemized how seniors with pensions are in danger of eroded resources due to the stock market “continuing to collapse” and “what does that mean for them in retirement and supports around that”, said Kahlon.
- RAP: increases from $400 to $700 per month; as well, the eligibility is being expanded by doubling the capacity from covering 3,000 to 6,000 families
- SAFER: increases of 30% dollars received by 30%. The average monthly payment goes up from $251 to $337 month; another 1,600 seniors will qualify.
“SAFER is an important program that a lot of seniors depend on,” said Kahlon. He notes that most SAFER recipients are senior women over age 60 who live alone.
Rental apartment units that are bought up by the provincial government to be operated by non-profits tend to help senior renters the most, Kahlon explained.
Greens are pleased:
The BC Greens represented by Rob Botterell (MLA for Saanich North and The Islands) called it a good day, but that more work needs to be done.
Kahlon thanked BC Green House Leader (now Interim Party Leader Jeremy Valeriote) and BC Green MLA Rob Botterell for their input. There was a consensus that seniors need support and that RAP and SAFER were vitally important, said Kahlon.
“Today’s announcement is a celebration of their advocacy and their work,” said Kahlon about the two Green MLAs.
“Every day, the affordability crisis worsens,” said Botterell at the podium on Thursday.
“Seniors are being forced out of their homes and into homelessness. The vacancy rate is critically low. Rental prices may be heading down but it’s still not where we need it,” Botterell said. “A number of British Columbians are living in fear of losing their homes.”
“Those on fixed incomes, especially seniors, are being forced to choose between rent, food and basic necessities. Seniors shouldn’t have to spend their later years worrying about eviction. The rising cost of living is pushing too many out of their homes and onto the streets,” said Botterell.
“More and more seniors are losing their long-term homes and ending up homeless. More support for BC seniors means less hardship and more dignity for those who’ve spent their lives building our communities.,” Botterell said. “This is a good day for British Columbia!”
The expanded RAP And SAFER benefits “will provide critical relief”, he said, adding that “ensuring that British Columbians stay housed should be a top priority for this government and we’re working with Minister Kahlon and the whole government to see that happen”.
“This move is a step toward housing policies that are increasingly becoming a lifeline for the 1.5 million renters in our province,” said Botterell.
He notes that the BC NDP government has already included a further $75 million in the budget for 2026 to further support and expand the SAFER and RAP programs.
Seniors Advocate:
“Much of today’s announcement is because of his advocacy,” said Kahlon about BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt.
Levitt in his remarks said that the SAFER subsidy is an essential support for low-income seniors who are struggling with rising costs of rent, groceries and other expenses.
Back in December Levitt had reported that the number of people receiving the subsidy had decreased by 8%. The average was $192 per month last year (7% lower than five years previous), while the average monthly rent for SAFER recipients increased by 13% over the same time period.
The average SAFER subsidy now at $337 per month means more seniors will be eligible to receive the support.
The SAFER benefit is not tied to the allowable rent increase nor is it tied to inflation. Before these changes, over 80% of SAFER recipients were paying rents $355 above the rent ceiling.
Levitt says his office will be watching to see if the new enhancements keep pace with rent increases.
He notes that the program is designed for recipients to pay no more than 30% of their income on rent, pointing out that SAFER does not currently meet this goal.
“Of the approximately 1.1 million seniors in BC, 20% are renters. Over 220,000 seniors renting in our province,” said Levitt. Close to 23,000 SAFER recipients last year but there are “many more people” who are eligible.
Seniors who have an income under $40,000 are encouraged to check on their eligibility for the SAFER program.
Seniors in most cases “can’t go out an get a second job”. They are dependent on supports for rent and other affordability pressures.
“We all want seniors to age with dignity,” said Levitt, which includes being able to access programs and services that support healthy aging.
Short event:
Parliamentary Secretary Chant was the emcee for the short media availability that was cut short by the Minister needing to return to the Legislative Assembly for a vote.
NEWS RELEASE – April 3, 2025
Enhanced rental assistance programs support families, seniors
VICTORIA – More people will now benefit from enhancements to the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program, helping low-income families and seniors afford their rent.
“With the rising cost of living, we’re enhancing supports through the RAP and SAFER programs to ensure more families and seniors can access essential financial help,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These changes will help people stay in their homes in the communities they love and allow us to support more people as they manage the challenges of rent and living expenses.”
Starting April 1, 2025, and as part of Budget 2025, RAP and SAFER programs have expanded eligibility criteria that will benefit more than 30,000 households in B.C. Existing eligible recipients will also see an automatic increase in their average benefits, providing them with more financial assistance to contribute toward rent. These changes build on the improvements to SAFER and the one-time RAP benefit introduced in April 2024.
“Seniors are vital to our communities, and they should receive the support they need to live comfortably,” said Susie Chant, parliamentary secretary for seniors’ services and long-term care. “This change to eligibility requirements offers much-needed relief for low-income seniors and families facing rising living costs. These improvements will help seniors live safely and comfortably in their homes and in communities they’ve helped build.”
Improvements to RAP include:
* increasing the household income limit for eligibility from $40,000 to $60,000 (before taxes) is expected to nearly double the number of families eligible for support from approximately 3,200 to nearly 6,000;
* increasing the average family supplement for existing recipients from $400 per month to $700 per month;
* implementing single provincial rent ceilings based on household size, which can now be reviewed and amended annually and will help ensure rent support for people remains adequate and flexible to changes; and
* removing the requirement for employment income, which will result in low-income families that are not receiving income or disability assistance being able to receive rental assistance if other eligibility requirements are met.
Enhancements to SAFER include:
* increasing the household income limit for eligibility from $37,240 to $40,000, which is expected to benefit as many as 1,600 more seniors, for an estimated total of 25,000 SAFER recipients; and
* increasing the average supplement by nearly 30%, bringing the average monthly subsidy for existing seniors to $337.
“The SAFER program is an essential support for low-income B.C. seniors living on fixed incomes who are struggling with the rising cost of rent, groceries and other items needed for healthy aging,” said Dan Levitt, B.C. seniors advocate. “I’m pleased more seniors will be eligible to receive SAFER, however, I’d still like to see the SAFER program be indexed to inflation and have government commit to ensuring the program is meeting its goal to have recipients paying no more than 30% of their income on rent. The seniors’ demographic in B.C. is increasing rapidly and supports such as SAFER are critically important for the quality of life for low-income seniors.”
Through Budget 2025, the Province is investing an additional $375 million over the next three years to enhance both RAP and SAFER programs. This includes the $75 million committed through an agreement with the B.C. Green Party caucus to boost the programs and deliver more supports for families and seniors.
“The B.C. Greens have long advocated for stronger rental support, and we’re proud to see these improvements through our accord with the NDP,” said Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. “Housing must be a priority and the $75 million we secured will help more families and seniors get the help they need to make rents more affordable.”
To ensure that eligible families and seniors are fully informed about the support available to them, BC Housing has launched a public awareness campaign.
Learn More:
For information about the Rental Assistance Program and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters program, visit: https://www.bchousing.org/housing-assistance/rental-assistance-programs
To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/