A new safety code aimed at preventing catastrophic elevator accidents is being called draconian by a group of angry seniors.
The province say all elevators installed over 30 years ago now pose a safety risk. The order applies to all hydraulic elevators installed below ground with single bottom cylinders. Under new safety code regulations, they must be replaced or retrofitted by October 2015.
If the upgrade isn’t completed, the elevator will be shut down. It's estimated some 1,100 B.C. elevators will be affected.
Seniors living at the Blue Surf co-op in White Rock said it should be up to residents whether or not to do the repairs. They say its elevator, installed 41 years ago, is working perfectly and is inspected often.
"They want $40,000 to repair this elevator that is not broken,” said Steve Perry, speaking on behalf of the residents.
The group feels bullied by the Clark government.
"There's no room to maneuver. [It’s either] you do it or else we're going to come in and shut down your elevator,” Perry said.
The BC Safety Authority says the decision to make repairs mandatory is based on a number of fatalities and serious injuries from North American elevator accidents.
In 2006, five people were injured in Toronto after a poorly maintained single-cylinder elevator dropped five stories.
But the Blue Surf residents think their elevator is safe. Retrofitting it will cost the seniors about $1,500 each.
"I don't have that much money -- and why spend it unnecessarily?” said 91-year-old Chris Merryfield.
Janice Lee of the BC Safety Authority says it’s sympathetic to the residents, but the underlying danger is what’s driving the code change.
“Safety is paramount. I do understand that there are some financial constraints with that,” she said.
Residents at Blue Surf are being given the option of totally replacing the elevator cylinder at a cost of about $40,000, or installing a piston gripper that can keep residents safe in the event of a free fall. That costs about $15,000.
All B.C. condo owners whose buildings have an elevator that was installed more than 30 years ago will likely face the same expensive retrofit.
B.C. is the first province to adopt the new safety rules, but Ontario is set to follow suit shortly.
The BC Safety Authority has been talking to property managers about the upcoming code changes since 2009. So while most affected condo owners are aware of the new regulations, the news should be a heads-up for anyone thinking of buying into an older building -- check to make sure you're not about to be saddled with an expensive elevator upgrade.
