‘We want to be heard’: Portland Hotel residents, advocates hold protest in Vancouver – BC | 24CA News
A gaggle of residents, advocates and union representatives gathered Wednesday exterior the PHS Community Services Society board members’ workplace for a protest
Around a dozen individuals had been seen exterior the West Georgia Street workplace constructing Wednesday afternoon, demanding “recognition, dignity and compensation” associated to their months-long elevator outage at their supportive housing facility, the Portland Hotel.
“We want to be recognized, and we want to be (listened to),” Mark Tobiasson, a Portland Hotel resident.
Tobiasson mentioned residents at a special single-room occupancy, that handled an analogous elevator problem, had been supplied compensation of $30 a day — which is one thing Portland Hotel residents are in search of.
“Now, that altogether is not outrageous — we want our demands to be heard,” he mentioned.
“I think if you look at the residency tenancy act, there is a stipulation in there for compensation and (PHS) seems to be withholding that from us. The people who are partially handicapped have had to use the stairs for months, now they are more handicapped.”
The facility’s elevator was fastened on Feb. 11 after being out of service for 5 months.
Previously, B.C. Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon pointed to “supply chain issues” because the perpetrator as to why it was taking so lengthy to get fastened and PHS’ director of housing mentioned the elevator was fastened after a “broken wire” had been changed in February.
On Wednesday, the housing director is now saying it was certainly provide chain points for elevator elements.
“I was later informed, by the consulting company that BC Housing hired, that it was in fact it was for parts that we were waiting for,” mentioned Tanya Fader.
“One of the parts came early, and should have been arriving in late March. When they did the install in the replacement parts, they made a mistake in the programing, so at first it wouldn’t run. They fixed the programming and the elevator has been able to run.”
B.C.’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon supplied some feedback in Victoria on Wednesday.
“We know it was a frustrating situation for those that were impacted. BC Housing worked very hard to ensure those that had mobility issues had alternative options so they did not have to stay at the site,” he mentioned.
“We have the elevator now running and that’s great for everyone.”
Read extra:
‘We know it can be done’: Tenants protest after Vancouver supportive housing elevator damaged for months
When Global News requested the minister of doable compensation for the residents, Kahlon mentioned they supplied everybody relocation choices.
“When the situation arose, we took great efforts to get the elevator fixed, but in the meantime, we offered everyone an opportunity to go to an alternative location. We had units available for people when they needed them and many people took us up on that. We are very happy the units are up and running.”
PHS mentioned the set up of a brand new elevator at Portland Hotel is anticipated to start in the summertime, relying on elevator half provide chain points.
“The elevator will be taken out, and there will be no elevator for six to 11 weeks,” Fader mentioned.
“We have offered everyone alternative housing options. We are encouraging people who have mobility issues to consider a move. We are not evicting anyone from the Portland Hotel.”
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