August cold spell leaves seniors shivering in B.C. apartment without heat

Seniors in a Vancouver apartment complex say they’ve been left shivering during the recent summer cold spell, thanks to heating systems that don’t work in the building.

John Tierney, 81, lives in the Fontainebleau Apartments on Balsam Street, where he says more than half the building’s thermostats don’t work.

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When temperatures dropped last week, he and many of the building’s other residents were left finding their own methods to keep warm.

“I was wearing heavy clothes, I was wearing shoes and socks,” he said.

“It’s the Lord of the Flies for the elderly in this building … they care nothing about us.”

Tierney said one of his neighbours has resorted to turning her oven on and leaving the door open to heat her unit.

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Helen Overgaard told Global News she’s relying on a space heater.

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“Got out my winter sweaters,” she said. “It’s very stressful and my family feels it’s time I make a move.”

Residents say the building’s boiler is also old and prone to frequent breakdowns, leaving them anxious.

Omar Visram, an advocate for many building residents says that could be a life-and-death situation in the colder months.

“We’re in August and it’ll get warmer next week, but what happens in the winter? What if the residents don’t have heat?” he said.

Some residents say building maintenance, including heat and the swimming pool which is currently out of service, has declined since the building was purchased by Larco Investments.

Global News was unable to reach the landlord for comment.

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The company went to Vancouver city council last week seeking a re-zoning approval for an adjacent property, which one city councillor said will not go ahead if it doesn’t address the complaints at the Fontainebleau.

Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung said council put several conditions on the property owner, including addressing heat and electrical conditions in the building, as well as the pool.

“I would have hoped within a month we would see some positive progress on this. I know our city staff are actively working on this file, and council was very clear that they expect Larco to fix these issues,” she said.

“We’re going to put the pressure on,” she added. “If they don’t step up and deliver on fixing the building then they’re not going to get their development permit.”

In the meantime, residents of the building are watching the weather forecast, hoping for an improvement.

“But why should we be depending on the sun?”

“It’s 2024, I am paying for an apartment, I don’t think it’s over-demanding on my part that they should heat the place.”