Andrea Reimer, Vancouver councillor, faces eviction in city with vacancy near zero

Renters all over Metro Vancouver know what it’s like to face eviction.

That’s less the case for public officials not named Andrea Reimer.

Coverage of rentals on Globalnews.ca:

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The Vancouver city councillor said Tuesday that she came home from an overseas trip on Monday to find an eviction notice waiting, informing her that she would have to find a new place by February.

Reimer said she’s been evicted 11 times, and that the latest incidence marks the second time in the past few months.

“I think that’s one of the challenges when I talk to my owner-friends about being evicted so often,” she said.

“They’re shocked to hear how often it is.”

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Reimer said she’s optimistic about finding a new place to live.

“There’s a lot more for rent now than there was last August when there was almost nothing to rent,” she said.

But challenges remain for others who hope to find a place.

The overall vacancy rate in the Vancouver area was 0.7 per cent in the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s most recent Rental Market Report.

And prices aren’t providing much relief.

The median rental price for a studio unit was $1,600 in October, according to Louie Dinh at Quantitative Rhetoric.

Meanwhile, it was $1,950 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,700 for a two-bedroom.