Following the 2018 electoral defeat of Burnaby's incumbent five‐term mayor, the city enacted a significant policy shift regarding its approach to renters in the gentrifying town centre of Metrotown. This change received unanimous support from Council, despite the fact that seven of eight Councillors were incumbents belonging to the former mayor's political party. In addition to two extensive on‐record interviews with former mayor Derek Corrigan in the summer of 2017, this research is informed by a close reading of municipal documents and media accounts, attendance at public events and interviews with housing stakeholders, and quantitative data analysis. Of note are the arguments that the former mayor provided to justify his opposition to the renter support policies that followed his departure from office. Metrotown renters’ displacement was attributed to the marginalized position of rental tenure in Canadian society, irresponsible life choices of the poor, and insufficient federal government housing supports for refugees in Metro Vancouver.