Tom Durning

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Tom Durning, Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre

Tom Durning has been working in the not-for-profit sector in Vancouver for over twenty-five years. Durning spent five years working for the Downtown Eastside Residents' Association (DERA), and the past twenty years at the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC), where he lobbies for the protection of tenants, the expansion of affordable housing stock, the legalization of secondary suites and the continued creation of social housing.

Who do you represent on BC Hydro's engagement initiatives?
I represent the interests of the tenants of British Columbia. There are over 525,000 tenant households in B.C., and 35% of our population lives in rental housing. The majority of these tenants live in secondary suites, such as basement suites and rented condos, while only 40% live in purpose-built housing.

What are the top organizational challenges that are facing your organization?
Our biggest challenge is always funding. We are funded in part by the Law Foundation of BC, the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia, as well as project funding from the Vancouver Foundation and the Real Estate Foundation of BC.

Also, we are supported by our membership. Individual memberships are $5 per year, and group memberships are $20 per year. The more members we have, the more evidence we have that the work we do is useful for individuals and for communities. It is also a good way for individuals and groups to become involved in tenancy issues.

What are the biggest challenges facing your clients?
The biggest challenge for our clients is finding and keeping affordable housing. British Columbia is facing great population increases, and we need to plan in order to house this population in a sustainable manner.

One of the ways that we can address this issue is by implementing more sustainable zoning which allows for denser housing. We also need to look at innovative housing solutions, such as smaller lot development and laneway housing, for our future needs. Municipalities also need to plan to be sustainable to meet the needs of our growing population.

When did you become involved with BC Hydro's engagement initiatives?
I became involved two years ago when I joined the Low-Income Advisory Committee. I am also a member of the Split Incentives Working Group. Having been involved with BC Hydro, I can say that they are genuine about the process of engagement and are sincere in their conservation efforts. This is not just a PR exercise.

What are your top two or three energy interests?
I am interested in the conservation of power, different types of energy sources, and making less of an environmental footprint. We can lessen our footprint through conservation and sustainability. If we build our homes to be smaller and more sustainable, this will make a big impact.

What strengths do you bring to the engagement table?
I understand the challenges that tenants face in finding affordable housing and paying their utility bills. Rent increases and utility bill increases really hurt these tenants. By teaching them about conservation, we can help them lower these costs.

Do you feel your stakeholder interests are given due consideration?
Yes, I think that I've demonstrated that you have to look beyond conservation to sustainable living to achieve your targets. I brought something to the table, and BC Hydro taught me that they were sincere.