The provincial government is proposing several changes to the laws governing renters and strata property owners in B.C.

The proposed changes to the Residential Tenancy Act would allow renters to break a lease if fleeing from violence or heading into long-term care. Current laws mean that renters can't leave without the landlord's permission, or they face a financial penalty.

Further changes would allow landlords to repay security deposits by electronic transfer.

Also proposed is a change to the Strata Property Act to make it easier for strata property owners to wind up a strata corporation, such as when a building is at the end of its life cycle and the majority of members wish to sell it off for redevelopment.

Currently a unanimous vote is needed to vote out a strata corporation. The new proposal would change that to require approval from only 80 per cent of strata owners.

