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Green opposition forced Finance Minister Carole James to jettison the rebate from her February budget. But the NDP has left the door open to eventually enacting it, as it attempts to respond to public criticism that allowing the rent increase is a step in the wrong direction for a party that promised to make housing more affordable.

“We have always said we are committed to bringing in the renter’s rebate and that hasn’t changed,” Housing Minister Selina Robinson said in a statement Wednesday.

“Our plan is to bring in the rebate over the life of our government. With that goal in mind we will continue to work on the details of the rebate itself with the Green members, as we work hard on all levels to make sure that people can afford to live in B.C.”

Robinson expressed frustration this week that the rebate has become the focus when government has already taken other actions for renters, including changes at the Residential Tenancy Branch, $7 billion for affordable housing over the next decade, increases to rental assistance for low-income seniors and families, and closing the fixed-term lease loophole.

Despite Robinson’s statements, Weaver expressed confidence that the Greens have talked the NDP out of the rebate idea.

“We have a very good working relationship with the NDP and I believe they’ve been convinced both from the civil service and others like us that in fact it doesn’t help,” Weaver said.

“If everybody gets $400 you think it helps, but the way the market responds is its absorbed into a rental increase.”