BC Housing 'looking into' whether residential cooling systems disabled
The provincial housing agency is keeping tight-lipped in the wake of troubling questions around whether some of the most vulnerable people in British Columbia are unauthorized to use cooling systems already installed in their homes.
A newly-unearthed 2017 report examining the efficiency and carbon emissions of heat pumps in multi-unit residential units cites BC Housing officials saying “heat pumps at (one Vancouver seniors complex) are set to only provide heating, not cooling” and that “BC Housing has disabled the cooling function at other heat pump retrofit sites” to save money.The study was co-sponsored by the City of Vancouver, UBC and the Greenest City Initiative
Given that the “Documentation of heat-pump retrofits in multi-unit residential buildings” analysis is several years old, CTV News asked to interview someone with the provincial crown corporation to find out whether the cooling function was disabled during last year’s fatal heat dome and whether the function continues to be restricted at this time.
Three days after several requests, a spokesperson emailed to say: "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. BC Housing will be looking into these assertions." https://www.bchousing.org/
The BC Coroners’ report into the 2021 heat dome found 98 per cent of the 619 deaths happened indoors, most of them in seniors and people with chronic health issues “without adequate cooling systems.”
TIME TO RECONSIDER AIR CONDITIONING?
Robyn Chan, the chair of the city of Vancouver’s planning commission, discovered the document while doing research and is alarmed at the guidelines discussed in the report, which used three BC Housing properties and several strata complexes as case studies.
“It's so frustrating to think that these are vulnerable people who are living in this housing -- they identify many of them are new immigrants, they are living below the poverty line, in many cases,” she noted. “The government is then policing how they're able to keep themselves comfortable and what those levels should be.”
"Electrically driven heat pumps (HPs) provide a major way to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improve comfort," wrote author Michaela Neuberger, who noted BC Housing had been “very supportive” of sharing data and experiences retrofitting buildings with heat pump systems.
“They were only supposed to provide cooling above 27 C outside but our tenants quickly found out that they could override that,” reads one quote attributed to BC Housing’s then-energy manager while discussing a townhouse complex in Surrey. “Because the tenants are not paying the heat pump electricity bills, there are certainly abuses.”
Chan is urging all levels of government to start thinking of heat pumps and air conditioners as medical devices, rather than luxuries, because the environmental impacts are minor compared to the comfort and even life-saving function they provide for the elderly and chronically ill.
RENTER AND STRATA ISSUES AROUND COOLING SYSTEMS
In the days after the heat dome, some people took to social media claiming their landlord had shut off air conditioning to their unit out of concern over soaring electricity bills, but a lawyer fluent in strata governance and residential tenancy law warned that could get owners in hot water.
“If the air conditioning was there at the start of the tenancy or is in the tenancy agreement, the landlord has an obligation to repair and maintain,” explained Alex Chang, of Lesperance Mendes Lawyers. https://lmlaw.ca/alex-chang/
Failure to do so within a reasonable time could result in a Residential Tenancy Board order to repair or restart cooling systems, with the potential for damages paid to tenants. When it comes to strata living, however, it becomes trickier to install systems outside the unit.
“Strata corporations have a lot of discretion as to whether or not they want to allow the installation of air conditioning units because it generally involves an alteration to the common property,” said Chang. “If they can prove they have a medical necessity, a tenant might be able to avail themselves of remedies under the human rights code and get orders that force some stratas in some instances to install air conditioning.”
With so many of the heat dome deaths being indoors, and cities like Vancouver already passing bylaws requiring new mid- and high-rise multi-unit residential structures be built with air conditioning, Chang expects there will be more legislative and regulatory challenges and changes recognizing cooling devices as a medical device, and also “necessary for people to reasonably enjoy their homes.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to be safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Apple unveils new iPad Pro with 'outrageously powerful' AI-powered chip
Apple is hoping its latest iPad lineup will breathe new life into its sluggish tablet market. In a pre-recorded live streamed event from its Cupertino, California headquarters, the company introduced the latest versions of its iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, and an all-new Apple Pencil Pro.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday in the hush money trial of former U.S. president Donald Trump, prepared to testify about a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.