Opponents of a temporary modular housing project for the homeless in Vancouver’s Marpole neighbourhood have reached the end of the road.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an application from the Caring Citizens of Vancouver Society for leave to appeal a lower court ruling backing the housing project.
The group will also be expected to pick up court costs.
The Caring Citizens group initially took its case to the B.C. Supreme Court in December 2017, claiming that the City of Vancouver had failed to properly consult with residents, and that the facility’s site at Heather Street and 59th Avenue wasn’t zoned for modular units.
The City of Vancouver approved the controversial 78-unit supportive housing project in November 2017, sparking protests from some nearby residents and counter-protests by local students in support of the facility.
Controversial modular housing development helping those in need
Opponents had argued that the facility would act as a magnet for drugs and crime, and that it was ill-suited for a location adjacent to three schools.
In January 2018, however, the court ruled that the city had provided sufficient notice of a public hearing, and that the city had not erred in issuing a development permit to the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency.
In March, the B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s ruling.
WATCH: Coverage of Marpole modular housing on Globalnews.ca
The project opened to residents in February, 2018.
The Marpole project was one of the earliest modular housing projects built for the homeless in Vancouver, constructed with part of $66 million in provincial funding and using city owned land.
There are now 10 such facilities in the city, representing 606 units.
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