As the province and mayors try to figure out who will cover the $400-million shortfall for the long-promised Evergreen Line, a Coquitlam businessman says the rapid transit system has already cost him his livelihood.
Hong Lee learned four years ago that the property his Jiffy Lube franchise sits on would be expropriated to make way for the Evergreen Line. He found out this month that he will not be compensated by TransLink, even though his neighbours will.
"They won't pay anything, any penny. They didn't offer anything. I am so pissed off," Lee told CTV News.
The reason is that his lease expired in November; he believes the property owner wouldn't renew it because the land will soon be expropriated.
Lee has been paying rent on a month-to-month basis since then, but his landlord has now ordered him to be out by Thursday.
"I'm very embarrassed and frustrated and desperate. I don't know what I can do," Lee said. "Without this business, I cannot make money right now."
Lee used his life-savings to buy the franchise when he immigrated to B.C. 14 years ago. Jiffy Lube has offered him other franchise opportunities, but starting up again at another location would cost between $150,000 and $250,000.
The transportation ministry will only say that a financial settlement has yet to be reached for the piece of land in question.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Shannon Paterson
