New Westminster renters staged a rally at city hall Monday night to voice their loud support for new rules that will make it harder for landlords to renovict tenants.

The new rules passed unanimously Monday to a round of applause from renters who had rallied before the council meeting to say they were wildly in favour of the changes. Under the new rules, the city could revoke business licences for property owners who don’t comply.

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“B.C. is quickly becoming unliveable,” said Kyla Yeates, one of a number of tenants at 732 – 5th Ave. who are being renovicted. “Please help us stop the cycle.”

More than 30 speakers addressed council, with nearly all saying that the new rules will help maintain affordable rental stock and ensure renters are protected if renovations are required.

Katie Marshall said no renter is safe from being renovicted: “It is all in the name of money. Money has become more important than our humanity.”

Council, last week, passed new downzoning on certain property to keep them as rental buildings.

- with files from Theresa McManus