Low-rent housing: how income limits, minimum rent and household assets work (mainly B.C., with a comparison to Ontario)

1. First, tell apart three kinds of "cheap housing"

Many people call all of these low-rent housing, but they are three different things:

What RGI means. RGI stands for Rent-Geared-to-Income, meaning "rent follows income". If your income goes up a bit, your rent goes up a bit; if your income is low, your rent is low, but there is a minimum.

Once you live in subsidized housing, you can no longer get RAP or SAFER. The RAP and SAFER pages both state that people who live in subsidized housing are not eligible for either program. However, you can get RAP while you wait on the subsidized housing registry. The RAP page says that while you get RAP, your application on the registry stays active; once you are actually housed through the registry, RAP stops.

Anyone can apply for affordable rental housing. BC Housing says "Anyone can apply", but each building can have its own requirements, for example: being able to live independently, meeting the status requirements, having a source of income and being able to give references; for a co-op, you also need to become a member and share in the co-op's work.

Related: For how to apply for the three kinds of housing, and what housing and care homes there are for seniors, see Guide No. 3, Housing.

2. A few terms first

Gross income. The amount before income tax, CPP and EI are taken off your pay; a pay stub usually labels it Gross. It is not the money that lands in your bank account. For example, if your pay stub shows a Gross of $4,000 and you take home $3,200 after deductions, the amount used is $4,000.

Household. Everyone who plans to move in and live together. Question 1 of the application form asks you to list yourself and everyone who may live with you.

Dependent child. BC Housing defines this as an unmarried natural child, stepchild, adopted child or child under legal guardianship who is mainly supported by you, and who meets one of these: under 19; or under 25 and attending a recognized secondary school, university or vocational school full time; or, at any age, considered a dependant for income tax purposes because of a physical or mental disability. Some housing providers may use a different definition.

Assets. What you "have", such as savings, stocks, funds, and the part of a home that is left after subtracting the mortgage. Income is the money you "earn or receive" over a period of time. Your income can be low while your assets are still over the limit; the two are looked at separately.

HILs. Housing Income Limits. This is a table set by BC Housing that lists, by area and number of bedrooms, the most gross income a whole household can have in a year. It used to be called CNITs.

Housing Registry. A single application list run by BC Housing. You fill in one application, and BC Housing and the non-profit and co-op buildings that take part in the registry can all choose people from it. Not every building takes part in the registry; for some buildings you have to apply to them directly (section 10).

3. B.C. income limits: find your area first, then your unit size

The subsidized housing page says that the applicant household's gross income must be below the limit on the HILs table (the page says "must be below"). As of November 3, 2026, the table posted on the website is still the one published in October 2025 and in use since December 1, 2025. BC Housing says the table is adjusted "from time to time".

The amounts in both tables below are limits on the whole household's gross income for a year (in dollars), not one limit for each person; your income must be below the amount to pass the income test.

Victoria and Vancouver Island

All 13 of these Greater Victoria municipalities use the Victoria row: Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin, Highlands, Sooke, Central Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney.

Remote places actually have higher limits. On the table, the limits for "Non-Market Areas" (remote and rural places with fewer than 2,500 people) are higher than Victoria's for 1 to 3 bedrooms; for 4 bedrooms or more, the limit is a little lower ($91,000, compared with $95,500 for Victoria). This is not a misprint; these are the numbers as they appear on the table.

A few other places in B.C.

Do not guess from the place name. Pages 2 to 6 of the table are a lookup list showing which row each of 161 municipalities in B.C. uses. Open the PDF, press Command and F (Ctrl and F on Windows), and type the English name of your municipality to find it. If the place where you live is not an incorporated municipality, you will not find it on the list; call BC Housing.

Monthly or yearly income. Question 8 of the registry application form asks for the current monthly gross income of each person in your household aged 19 or older; the HILs table shows yearly amounts. You can do a rough check yourself first (monthly income times 12) to see how far apart they are, but how it is officially worked out is up to BC Housing's review.

Right at the limit. The eligibility page says income must be below the limit, while the notes on the HILs table call it the maximum (maximum gross household income). If your income is exactly at the limit or very close to it, do not round it yourself; send in your complete income documents and ask BC Housing to decide.

Seniors' housing has a separate limit. The subsidized housing page states that the income limits for the Seniors' Rental Housing program vary by area: $58,000 in the Lower Mainland, $57,000 in Southern B.C., $57,000 on Vancouver Island and $47,000 in Northern B.C.; in buildings with capped market rents, the limit may be a little lower. This is the limit for this one program only; not everyone aged 55 or older uses these numbers.

Being over the limit does not always mean there is no way forward. The subsidized housing page says that people whose income is over the HILs can apply for units in a building that are rented at market rent or at "low end of market" rent. Seniors or people with disabilities whose income is a little higher can also look at affordable rental housing.

Working it out (a made-up example, only to show how to read the table): A family lives in Langford, and the household's gross income for the year is $64,000. If, under the unit size rules, they are assessed as able to apply for two bedrooms, they compare their income with the Victoria two-bedroom limit of $65,000, so they pass the income test; if they can only apply for one bedroom, they compare it with $50,000, so they are over. Passing the income test still leaves the status, asset and other conditions.

4. How many bedrooms you can apply for: the unit size rules

Which column of the HILs table you use depends on how many bedrooms your household can apply for. Wanting a bigger home does not mean you can use the limit in a bigger unit's column. BC Housing uses the National Occupancy Standards (NOS):

• No more than 2 people and no fewer than 1 person per bedroom;
• Spouses (or partners) share a bedroom;
• Parents do not share a bedroom with their children;
• Dependent children aged 18 or older do not share a bedroom with anyone;
• Children aged 5 or older of different sexes do not share a bedroom.

A few more rules:

• If parents are separated and share custody of a child: if the child lives with you at least 40% of the time, the child counts as a regular member of your household and is included when working out the unit size.
• Single seniors or single people with disabilities can apply for a bachelor unit or a one-bedroom unit.
• A couple on their own can only apply for a one-bedroom unit (a bachelor unit is considered too crowded).
• There are few one-bedroom units, so they are generally offered first to couples, then to single people with a medical need for a one-bedroom unit, and then to other single people.
• If you are willing to live in a unit a little smaller than the standard, there can be some flexibility; each area may also make exceptions based on local conditions.

Some examples (made up):

• A couple with a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter: one room for the parents; both children are under 5, so they can share a room. 2 bedrooms in total.
• A couple with a 7-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter: one room for the parents; the two children are of different sexes and both are 5 or older, so each needs a room. 3 bedrooms in total.
• A single mother with a 20-year-old son studying full time at university: one room for the mother; the son is 18 or older, so he has his own room. 2 bedrooms in total.

Using the second example: this family lives in Saanich and has a gross household income of $78,000 a year. Compared with the Victoria three-bedroom limit of $82,000, they pass the income test. With the same income, if the two children were the same sex, the family could only apply for two bedrooms, the limit to compare with would be $65,000, and they would be over.

In the end, BC Housing or the housing provider decides how many bedrooms you can apply for.

5. How rent is worked out after you move in

The method below is from BC Housing's Rent Calculation Guide (March 2026 edition). It is a manual for housing providers, and each building's final bill also adds or subtracts some items, so the method below only gives you a rough idea; your official rent is the one in the notice from your housing provider.

First: check whether you get provincial income assistance. Income Assistance is the money B.C.'s social development ministry pays each month for living costs and housing costs. The Rent Calculation Guide puts the province's Disability Assistance together with it and calls both "income assistance".

• If you get income assistance: rent is not 30% of income; you pay a fixed Flat Rent based on the number of people in your household.
• If you do not get income assistance: take 30% of your gross monthly income and compare it with the minimum rent; you pay whichever is higher.

The table goes all the way up to 12 people; only up to 6 people are copied here.

What a "family unit" is. In the Rent Calculation Guide, a family unit is one tenant plus their spouse (married or common-law) and their dependants. If two family units live in one home (for example, a child who has turned 25 counts as a family unit of their own), each family unit is worked out separately and then the amounts are added together.

People who work first subtract $200. Each person who works can first subtract $200 a month from their gross income as an "employment allowance", and then 30% is worked out. Someone who earns less than $200 in a month subtracts what they earned. Even if one person has several jobs, they can subtract at most $200. People who only get EI and have no employment income do not get this deduction.

Heating and other charges. If the building's heating is billed separately and you pay it yourself, your rent is reduced a little based on unit size, type of heating and area (a heating allowance). Some buildings charge extra for parking, laundry, cable TV, water and electricity. BC Housing states that each building in the Housing Listings notes these extra charges.

Working it out (made up; not including the heating allowance or other charges):

• A family of three: the father works and earns $5,000 a month gross, the mother and the child have no income, and they do not get income assistance: $5,000 minus $200 is $4,800; 30% of $4,800 is $1,440. That is higher than the minimum rent for three people, $317, so the rent is about $1,440.
• A single 70-year-old senior who lives on OAS, GIS and CPP, $2,000 a month in total: no work, so no $200 is subtracted; 30% of $2,000 is $600. That is higher than the minimum rent for one person, $170, so the rent is about $600.
• One person on income assistance: rent is not based on income; they pay the flat rent of $445.

What counts as income and what does not. An appendix to the Rent Calculation Guide lists some common kinds (these are for working out rent after you move in):

• Counts: income assistance; wages (including regular overtime, vacation pay and tips); self-employment income; seasonal work; EI and WorkSafeBC payments; training allowances; regular money from relatives or friends; OAS, GIS and other old age pensions; CPP; private pensions, including monthly withdrawals from a RRIF; foreign pensions.
• Does not count: money earned by children aged 18 or under; money earned by children aged 19 to 24 who study full time; student loans and scholarships; benefits for children such as the Canada child benefit (the guide says Canada Child Tax Benefit, among others); GST refunds and income tax refunds; RAP and SAFER payments.

Once you have moved in, there is a review every year. The Rent Calculation Guide states that households who pay rent based on income and receive a subsidy must report their current income and who lives in the household once a year, so that their eligibility can be confirmed and the rent recalculated. If anyone other than a spouse or dependent child moves in or out, tell your housing provider right away.

Related: For how to get OAS, GIS, CPP and other income for seniors, see Guide No. 9, Pensions & benefits.

6. No income or very low income does not mean no rent

For subsidized housing, there is no minimum amount you must earn. BC Housing does not set a province-wide minimum yearly income. But the subsidized housing page states that you may be excluded from the registry if you cannot show that you can afford the rent, or if you have not applied for or are not receiving income you should apply for (for example, assistance from B.C.'s social development ministry, or CPP). The subsidized housing page also states that applicants who may be excluded will be given a chance to provide more information or documents. So people with no income can apply: explain your situation clearly and provide the documents, but no one can promise it will be approved.

What happens if you say you have no income after you move in. The Rent Calculation Guide is very clear:

• First, you are asked to apply for all the income you can get, including income assistance and EI;
• If you cannot show that you applied but were not eligible, you pay the flat rent, like someone on income assistance ($445 for one person);
• The housing provider will also ask for the income tax returns, Notices of Assessment and bank statements of each person aged 19 or older, and ask how you pay your everyday expenses, how you buy groceries, how you pay the rent, and when you last had income;
• Only if it is confirmed that you really have no income do you pay the minimum rent for your household size ($170 for one person), and this is only for a short time: it is reviewed again within 6 months.

So it is wrong to think "no income means 30% of 0, so no rent".

How low is "very low income". The Rent Calculation Guide says that income lower than what you could get on income assistance counts as very low income, and is handled by the same rules as above.

Is there a minimum income for RAP, SAFER and affordable rental housing:

7. Household assets: what counts and what does not

In buildings managed by BC Housing itself, the household's assets must be under $100,000. The subsidized housing page states that this rule applies only to buildings BC Housing manages directly; other non-profits and co-ops decide for themselves whether to set an asset limit and how much it is. So if you apply for other buildings, ask each one.

How question 7 of the application form divides them:

Whose assets to report. Question 7 of the application form asks for "the total value of assets for adults (age 19 or older) in the household".

A TFSA must be included. Many people think that because a TFSA is tax-free, it does not need to be reported. On B.C.'s registry application form, the TFSA is clearly listed in the column of things counted as assets.

An RRSP that you keep is not an asset; once it is converted to a RRIF, the monthly withdrawals count as income. The Rent Calculation Guide states that monthly withdrawals from a RRIF are counted as pension income. The guide does not say how a lump-sum withdrawal from an RRSP is treated; ask your housing provider.

Property overseas must be reported too. The RAP FAQ states that property counts whether it is in Canada or overseas; the proof of assets listed in the Rent Calculation Guide also includes an appraisal of property overseas. The registry application form does not separate property in Canada from property elsewhere; report it truthfully as the net value of property after subtracting the mortgage, and call if you are not sure. Having a home outside Canada is not a reason not to report it.

Working it out (made up): Regular savings of $40,000, plus a home outside Canada (for example, in the country you used to live in) in which your household's share of the net value is $70,000: $110,000 in total, which is already over $100,000. You cannot report only the $40,000 in savings. For how to work out your share of a home you own with other people, and how debts are subtracted, ask the program you are applying to.

After you move in, more assets also mean slightly higher rent. The Rent Calculation Guide states: if the household's assets are over $10,000, the part above that amount is treated as earning a 1% return (it has been 1% ever since January 1, 2010), and this "imputed income" is added to monthly income before the rent is worked out; if the actual income from the assets (for example, rent received or interest) is higher, the actual amount is used. For example, with total assets of $60,000: subtract $10,000 to get $50,000; 1% of that is $500 a year, or about $41.67 a month, added to monthly income. At 30%, the rent goes up by about $12.50.

Proof of assets to provide (the document list on page 2 of the registry application form): recent statements for all financial accounts, clearly showing the account holder's name; if you own property, the property tax assessment and proof of how much is left on the mortgage. In one place the form says people aged 19 or older must provide proof of assets, but where it lists the specific documents it says they are "recommended"; it is best to have all of them ready.

8. RAP and SAFER: keep renting in the private market and get some help each month

Neither program gives you a unit. You keep renting your current home and, if you qualify, get a monthly payment that covers part of your rent. You have to apply again every year for both.

How the rent maximum is used. The rent maximum in the table is the most rent counted when the assistance is worked out; if your rent is higher, the maximum is used (see the example under "How much RAP pays" below). The SAFER page's answer to "I received a rent increase, what do I do?" says that if your rent is already over the maximum, your subsidy may not go up after a rent increase.

When you do not qualify. If you live in subsidized housing; if you live in a co-op and are a shareholder; if you get provincial income assistance or disability assistance. Exception: if you used to get income assistance or disability assistance, it has stopped, and you now only have Medical Services Only (MSO), you can apply if you show proof that the assistance has stopped. RAP has one more: if you share a kitchen or bathroom with your landlord, you do not qualify. SAFER has one more: if you live in a care facility funded by the Ministry of Health, you do not qualify.

Income is based on last year's tax return. RAP states that the assistance is worked out from your income last year; SAFER also asks you to provide last year's income tax return and Notice of Assessment, or to sign consent for the CRA to give your tax information directly to BC Housing. If one source of last year's income has stopped, or your income has dropped and stayed lower, provide proof of your current gross monthly income (pay stubs, a letter from your employer, bank statements).

Whose income RAP looks at. The eligibility page refers to gross household income for the year; the FAQ also states that the assistance is worked out from the income of you and your spouse (if you have one), and that income children under 19 earn from part-time jobs does not need to be reported. If other adults also live with you (for example, a child aged 19 or older who is not a dependant), write down how much each of them pays toward the rent each month; this is used to work out your own share of the rent and the assistance.

How much RAP pays. The website says it takes your rent (up to the maximum) minus 30% of your gross household income, and "reimburses a percentage of the difference". The website does not give the percentage; use the official calculator to estimate it. The website also says there are maximum benefit amounts, but does not give them. For example, a family of three pays $2,300 a month in rent, and the couple's combined gross income is $3,750 a month ($45,000 a year): the rent used is the maximum of $1,950; 30% of $3,750 is $1,125; the difference is $825, and the assistance is a portion of that $825, not the full $825, and certainly not $2,300 minus $1,125.

SAFER and assets. The eligibility page does not give an asset limit, so you cannot apply RAP's $100,000 to it. However, in the part of the SAFER application form for people who do not consent to the CRA providing their tax information, it says that if you do not consent, you must provide proof of your income and assets yourself. So assets are not completely ignored; fill in the form truthfully.

SAFER right at the limit. In one place the website says you qualify if your monthly income is "below $3,333.34", and in another it says you do not qualify if it is "over $3,333.33", while also giving a yearly income of $40,000. If your income is right around this amount, send in your complete documents and ask the SAFER office to decide; do not give up on your own first.

When the money arrives. If you qualify, eligibility counts from the month BC Housing receives your application; for SAFER, it counts from the later of the month your application is received and the month you become eligible, so if you send in the form before you turn 60, for example, it counts from the month you meet the conditions. The money is deposited into your bank account on the last business day of each month, for the rent you have already paid that month. It is paid only by direct deposit; if you do not have a bank account, you need to open one first. Each year, SAFER mails you a renewal form three months before your birthday, and you must fill it in and send it back to keep getting the payments. If you get more than $500 in a year, BC Housing will send you a T5007 tax slip; you must report it when you file your taxes, but the money is not taxed.

How to estimate. The RAP and SAFER pages both have a "Help with rent calculator". Click "Start" and follow the prompts to enter your household situation, income and assets, and location, and you will get a rough estimate (the calculator's front page says it estimates using the rates in effect since April 2025). The official amount is in your approval letter.

If documents are missing. The SAFER application form states that an application with missing documents is kept for up to 90 days; if the documents are still not complete after 90 days, the application is cancelled and you must apply again, and the start month becomes the month you apply again. The RAP FAQ says that after your application is received, you have up to 90 days to provide any missing documents.

How to apply. For both RAP and SAFER, you first get an application form: download it from the RAP or SAFER page; call 604-433-2218 (Lower Mainland) or 1-800-257-7756 (toll-free) to have one mailed to you; or pick one up at the nearest BC Housing office during office hours. Send it in with your supporting documents: upload it with the Program Upload Form; drop it off at the nearest BC Housing office; fax it to 604-439-4729; or mail it, for RAP to Rental Assistance Program, BC Housing, 101-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4V8, and for SAFER to SAFER, BC Housing, 101-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4V8. Send copies only, not originals. After you send it in, BC Housing will contact you by mail to say whether you are approved, not eligible, or need to send more information; the pages do not say how long this takes. If you have questions, call the same two numbers.

Documents to prepare (step 2 on the RAP and SAFER pages; send copies):

• Proof of income: consent for the CRA to release information from your tax records to BC Housing, or copies of last year's income tax return (T1) and Notice of Assessment; if a source of last year's income has stopped or permanently decreased, also proof of your current gross monthly income (see "Income is based on last year's tax return" above).
• Proof of status: for RAP, for you and everyone in your family; for SAFER, for you and your spouse, with ID showing your date of birth and status in Canada.
• Proof of rent, any one of: your tenancy agreement (if it is more than 12 months old, add one more item from this list), a recent rent increase notice, a rent receipt no more than three months old, or a recent rent cheque cleared by your bank. If you cannot provide any of these, call to ask what else you can send.
• Banking information for direct deposit, any one of: a void cheque personalized by your bank (cheques with handwritten information are not accepted), a preauthorized debit form from your bank, or the program's direct deposit form completed by your bank.
• RAP also asks for proof of assets (for example, a bank statement showing the total in your chequing and savings accounts over 30 days, or a recent Property Assessment Notice from BC Assessment), and proof of enrolment for children aged 19 to 24 attending school full time.

Related: If you moved to B.C. less than 12 months ago, for what to do first, see Guide No. 2, First 90 days; for GIS, OAS and other income for seniors, see Guide No. 9, Pensions & benefits.

9. Which households can apply: the four groups, living independently, and status

First, check which group your household is in

Subsidized housing is only for the four groups below. If you are not in one of them, you do not qualify, however low your income is:

1. Families: at least two people, one of whom is a dependent child (defined in section 2).
2. Seniors: a single person aged 55 or older, or a couple where at least one person is 55 or older. A few housing providers that use the registry have a different age limit for seniors.
3. People with disabilities: able to live independently, and receiving a recognized disability benefit, or considered to have a disability for income tax purposes (for example, you claimed the disability tax credit on last year's tax return, or you have a letter from the CRA approving the disability tax credit).
4. Other singles or couples: low-income and homeless or at risk of homelessness, and not in the seniors or disability groups above.

So a low-income single worker who has a stable place to live, is under 55 and does not have a disability generally cannot take the subsidized housing route, and can look at affordable rental housing instead.

You must be able to live independently. BC Housing explains this as being able to look after your own health and daily life in a self-contained home and to meet your responsibilities as a tenant, including paying rent, taking care of the home and getting along with your neighbours. People who need help to live independently will also be considered, as long as they can show that the support services they need are available in the community.

Status: everyone in the household must qualify

Subsidized housing and RAP: You must live in B.C., and every person in your household must be one of the following:

• A Canadian citizen who is not within a private sponsorship period;
• A permanent resident (PR) who is not within a private sponsorship period;
• A refugee sponsored by the Government of Canada;
• A person who has applied for refugee status;
• A Ukrainian who came to Canada under CUAET.

Work permits, study permits and visitor status are not on the list. The "status in Canada" box on the registry application form does have study permit, visitor and work permit options to tick, but these are not on the list on the eligibility page. If someone in your household has one of these statuses, call first to ask whether your household can apply.

What "private sponsorship" means. BC Housing explains it as: someone other than the Government of Canada helped you come to Canada and signed a sponsorship agreement. For example, if parents became permanent residents through sponsorship by their adult children, the parents do not meet this condition during the sponsorship period. There are two exceptions: dependent children listed on the application together with their caregiver or sponsor; and cases where BC Housing accepts that the sponsorship has broken down. The subsidized housing FAQ says that no adult in the household may be within a private sponsorship period, unless BC Housing accepts that the sponsorship has broken down.

SAFER: Only you and your spouse who lives with you are looked at. The list on the eligibility page is the same as above; the SAFER application form puts it as: a Canadian citizen, a person granted permanent residence, or a Convention refugee.

If you have already been found to be a refugee (a protected person). The list for subsidized housing and RAP says "a person who has applied for refugee status"; the SAFER application form says Convention refugees can apply. If you are not sure which applies to you, call BC Housing.

Proof of status to provide (registry application form): If you were born in Canada, provide a copy of your birth certificate or passport; if you were not born in Canada, provide any one of the following: your record of landing (IMM 1000), your confirmation of permanent residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688), both sides of your PR card, any immigration document showing your landing date and immigration category, your citizenship card, citizenship certificate or Canadian passport, or your Refugee Protection Claimant Document (RPCD) or Notice of Decision.

Related: for how long a sponsorship lasts and how to explain a sponsorship breakdown, see the section "Check your status and your lease before you apply" in Guide No. 3, Housing.

10. How to apply, what to provide and how long the wait is

Find buildings first

1. Open BC Housing's Housing Listings.
2. Enter where you want to live (for example, Victoria or Saanich), choose the minimum and maximum number of bedrooms, and click "Search".
3. To narrow it down, use the filters under "Refine your results"; to find affordable rental housing, choose "Below-market".
4. When you find a building you like, click "View Building Details", then look at "How to Apply":
   • If it says to apply through the Housing Registry, write down the building's "Building Code" and enter it in question 12 of the application form;
   • If it says to apply directly to the housing provider, write down its phone number, address, email or website and apply on your own.

The Housing Listings is not a list of vacancies. BC Housing states that a building being in the listings does not mean it has a vacancy now. Its advice: apply to every building that meets your needs, to improve your chances; for non-profits and co-ops that are not part of the registry, apply to each one directly. To see whether a co-op is taking applications, check the website of the Co-operative Housing Federation of British Columbia (CHF BC).

Then fill in the application

• Apply online: through the Housing Registry online application (link below).
• Paper application: download the application form; or call 604-433-2218 (Lower Mainland) or 1-800-257-7756 (toll-free) and ask them to mail you one; or pick one up at any BC Housing office.
• How to send it in: scan it and upload it with BC Housing's online Program Upload Form; drop it off at a BC Housing office; mail it to The Housing Registry, BC Housing, 101-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4V8; or fax it to 604-439-4729.
• Provide copies only; originals are not returned.
• Every person aged 19 or older in your household must sign the last page of the application form.

Documents to provide (page 2 of the registry application form):

• Proof of status for every person in the household (section 9);
• Your current rent receipt or most recent rent increase notice, or a lease showing the rent;
• Proof of income for each person aged 19 or older: if you get income assistance, a stub or confirmation of the assistance; if you work, your three most recent consecutive pay stubs or a letter from your employer; for other income, stubs, bank statements showing pension deposits, and so on;
• Proof of assets for each person aged 19 or older (section 7; for the specific documents, the form says they are "recommended", so it is best to have all of them ready);
• For children aged 19 to 24 studying full time, proof of enrolment;
• If you have received a notice to end your tenancy, a copy of the official form from B.C.'s Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB).

In special situations, you can send one more form. If you are homeless, fleeing domestic violence, or your current home is affecting a serious health condition, you can ask a third party who knows your situation (for example, a doctor, social worker, settlement agency worker or transition house worker) to fill in a Supplemental Application Form. A landlord in the private market, a friend, a neighbour or a relative cannot be this third party.

Incomplete applications are kept for up to 90 days. Page 1 of the registry application form says that an application with missing documents is kept for up to 90 days; complete applications are reviewed in the order they are received. A letter will be mailed to you once it has been processed.

How long the wait is

No one can say for sure. BC Housing puts it very plainly: far more people want housing than there are vacancies, so it is not possible to predict when a unit will be available; how long you wait depends on how many units become vacant and on the needs of other applicants.

How the waitlist is ordered. BC Housing sorts applicants into five categories by how urgent their need is: first, a serious threat to health or safety, such as being homeless or living in a shelter; second, serious health, medical or social needs, such as being at risk of homelessness, fleeing domestic violence or living in extremely poor conditions; third, moderate need, such as living in temporary or unsuitable housing; fourth, special needs or lower need, such as being somewhat crowded; fifth, applying for low end of market units in a building. Within each category, applicants are ordered by application date. This is how public housing managed by BC Housing itself is ordered; non-profits and co-ops may choose people in the order they applied, by a points system or by other methods.

Refuse twice and your application is cancelled. The registry application form states that if you refuse two offers of housing, your application on the registry will be cancelled. So only choose buildings and areas where you really want to live.

Update every 6 months. While you are on the waitlist, BC Housing recommends updating your application at least every 6 months; if your phone number, email or address changes, your rent or income goes up or down, or your health, marital status or the number of people in your household changes, update it right away. If you have not been in touch for more than 6 months, your application is put on hold and a card is mailed to the last address you gave; if you do not reply or the card is returned, your application is cancelled, and you will have to apply again later. To update, call 604-433-2218 or 1-800-257-7756 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays), or write a letter with your name, file number, old information and new information, and fax it to the Housing Registry at 604-439-4729, mail it to The Housing Registry, BC Housing Home Office, 101-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4V8, or drop it off at your local BC Housing office (the Victoria address is below).

When it is your turn. The housing provider will call you, and may interview you, check the information in your application, search online court records (Court Services Online), check your credit or criminal record with your consent, and contact your references. Before a decision is made, you can usually view the unit or a similar one first.

BC Housing office in Victoria

Vancouver Island Region Office: Suite 201-3440 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC V8Z 3L5; phone 250-475-7550, toll-free 1-800-787-2807; open Monday to Friday (except holidays), with reception from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For questions about the Housing Registry, call the registry at 604-433-2218 or 1-800-257-7756.

On the phone, you could ask:

• "I live in Saanich. Which HILs area and which bedroom size apply to my household?"
• "My income is very close to the limit. Can you check my documents before I give up?"
• "Do I need to report my TFSA and my property overseas?"
• "Is my application still active? When should I update it?"

There is a brochure in Chinese. Under "Brochures" at the bottom of the subsidized housing page, there is a Chinese version of the brochure on applying for subsidized housing (Applying for Subsidized Housing (Chinese)). We have not checked the brochure's content word by word, and we cannot say whether it reflects the latest rules; if anything differs, go by the English web page.

Related: For how to prepare before calling a government office and what to say, see Guide No. 7, Phone directory.

11. Comparing Ontario: also called RGI, but with different numbers

If you have family or friends in Ontario, or plan to move there, remember one thing: Ontario's limits cannot be applied in B.C., and B.C.'s cannot be applied in Ontario. On top of that, Ontario is not uniform even within the province: each local housing administrator (service manager) sets its own.

Ontario's provincial rules (Ontario government page, updated February 6, 2026):

• Since July 1, 2023, every area has had to set its own income limits and asset limits;
• Income is the net income on line 23600 of your Notice of Assessment (the CRA explains that line 23600 is your total income on line 15000 minus the deductions on lines 20700 to 23500, so it is not your take-home pay); money withdrawn from an RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan) is subtracted, and money repaid to an RDSP is added back. This is not the same number as the gross income used in B.C., so the two cannot be compared directly;
• The income of full-time students is not counted;
• Each area's asset limit must be at least $50,000, and different amounts can be set by household size and type;
• RRSPs, RRIFs and other registered retirement accounts are not counted as assets;
• Households on Ontario social assistance (Ontario Works, OW, or the Ontario Disability Support Program, ODSP) are not subject to the asset limit if the whole household is included in the assistance.

Toronto as an example (City of Toronto eligibility page, modified April 1, 2026):

The limit for 4 to 5 bedrooms is lower than for 3 bedrooms; these are the numbers exactly as they appear on the official website.

How Toronto differs from B.C.:

Two more things in Toronto that are easy to miss:

• If you own a home that can be lived in all year: you must sell it or otherwise dispose of it within 180 days, counting from the 1st of the month after you move into RGI housing (or after you buy the home). For households in the Special Priority Program, if selling the home would put the applicant in danger, this can be postponed; the RGI administrator decides. So even if your assets are no more than $150,000, it does not mean you can keep the home indefinitely.
• If you refuse one offer of housing, you lose your place on the centralized waiting list (you can apply again, but you start again at the end of the list, or you can ask for a review). On the B.C. registry, it takes two refusals.

Status. Toronto requires at least one person in the household to be 16 or older and able to live independently; everyone must have legal status, for example citizens, permanent residents, people with proof that they have applied for PR, refugee claimants or Convention refugees.

For questions about Toronto, the City of Toronto's web pages say to call 311.

12. Checklist before you start

• First, be clear about which one you need: waiting for a subsidized unit (subsidized housing), a unit below market rent (affordable rental housing), or staying in your current rental and getting assistance (RAP or SAFER).
• On the lookup pages of the HILs table, find which row your municipality uses; all 13 Greater Victoria municipalities use the Victoria row.
• Use the unit size rules to count how many bedrooms your household can apply for, then look at the limit in that column.
• For subsidized housing, the registry application form asks for the gross monthly income of each person aged 19 or older (Gross on the pay stub, not the money you take home); for working out rent after you move in and for RAP, there are separate rules on whose income counts and whose does not (sections 5 and 8).
• Assets: savings, stocks, funds, TFSAs, the net value of property and interests in a company must all be reported; RRSPs, RESPs, RDSPs, RRIFs, cars and furniture are not counted (this is how B.C.'s registry application form divides them; ask other programs one by one). For property overseas, both RAP and the Rent Calculation Guide state that it counts.
• If you have no income, first apply for any assistance or EI you can get, and keep proof that you applied and were not eligible.
• First check whether your household is in one of the four groups (families with children, seniors aged 55 or older, people with disabilities, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness), and whether you can live independently.
• Check status: everyone in the household must be on the list; if your parents are within a sponsorship period, ask first.
• Provide copies only; everyone aged 19 or older signs; provide anything missing within 90 days.
• Apply to every building that suits you; for buildings that are not on the registry, go directly to the housing provider.
• Two refusals cancel your registry application, so only choose places where you really want to live.
• Update your application every 6 months and whenever your information changes.
• If you rent in the private market, also look at RAP (if you have children) or SAFER (if you are 60 or older). The RAP website states that you can get it while you wait on the waitlist; the SAFER website does not say this specifically, and by its conditions it only excludes people who already live in subsidized housing; you can call to confirm before you apply.

Related guides

• → No. 3 · Housing
  Finding housing and getting housing help in B.C.: how to apply for a subsidized apartment, RAP and SAFER, and how to check your status and any private sponsorship period before you apply; deposits and leases when you rent in the market; five paths for seniors' housing, and contacting your health authority when care is needed; working out a down payment before you buy.
• → No. 9 · Pensions & benefits
  What OAS, GIS and CPP each depend on and how to get started; sponsored parents generally cannot get GIS during the sponsorship period; how RRSPs, RRIFs and TFSAs work with income-tested benefits (section 8).
• → No. 2 · First 90 days
  The order of things to do when you have just arrived in Canada: in the first week, organize your documents, apply for a SIN and MSP and open a bank account; in the first month, sort out driving and school; in the first three months, set up benefits and online accounts, and protect your deposit and keep records when you rent.
• → No. 7 · Phone directory
  What to prepare before calling a government office, what to say if English is hard for you, and what to do if you cannot get through; phone numbers for federal departments and several commonly used organizations.
• → No. 74 · Why are so many people homeless on Canada's streets?
  Income assistance for a single person is at most $1,060 a month, and the shelter allowance for rent within it is at most $500, so people on assistance may still be unable to afford rent (section 3); who to contact in Victoria if you are about to lose your home: 211, outreach workers and the Homeless Prevention Program (section 10); and how many people experiencing homelessness were counted in Canada and in Greater Victoria.

Main official links in this guide

These are all the official pages used in this guide; the end of each section also lists the ones for that section. BC Housing's pages on subsidized housing, affordable rental housing, RAP, SAFER and contact information, the income limits table, the Housing Registry application form, the Rent Calculation Guide, the flat rent and minimum rent tables, the SAFER application form, the Ontario government's page on income and asset limit rules, and the City of Toronto's RGI eligibility page, application page, administration manual and minimum rent notice were all opened and read on November 3, 2026; for the Housing Registry online application, the Housing Listings, the program finder, the rent assistance calculator and the Program Upload Form, we only confirmed that day that the addresses open. There are a few things we could not check, and the guide says so where they come up: the percentage of the difference that RAP pays (section 8); whether SAFER can be approved with zero income (section 6); how the monthly income on the registry application form compares with the yearly amounts on the income limits table (section 3); whether protected persons count as "a person who has applied for refugee status" on the list (section 9); and the content of the Chinese brochure, which we did not check word by word (section 10). During a later review on November 4, 2026, BC Housing's RAP, SAFER, subsidized housing and contact pages and the CRA's page on line 23600 net income were read again, and a few points were added to sections 6, 8, 10 and 11. The Rent Calculation Guide has two heating allowance tables with different numbers, and we could not tell which one is in use now, so this guide does not give heating allowance amounts. The City of Ottawa's website could not be read, so this guide does not give any numbers for Ottawa.