One SRO behind 504 emergency calls in 2022 faces prosecution: Vancouver Fire Rescue Services

A file photo shows a firetruck belonging to the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services. (City of Vancouver)

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services is preparing to take legal action against one single room occupancy hotel that was allegedly involved in 504 emergency calls in 2022.

A total of 300 calls connected to the SRO were related to smoking cigarettes or drugs, according to a since-deleted tweet by VFRS on Tuesday.

In 2022, we responded to a single SRO 504 times for various emergency calls. 300 of those calls were for smoking cigarettes/drugs. VFRS is currently billing the building for each false alarm, prosecuting this building as well as multiple other SRO's for Fire Bylaw offenses.

— Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) January 3, 2023

“VFRS is currently billing the building for each false alarm, prosecuting this building as well as multiple other (SROs) for Fire Bylaw (offences),” reads the post.

Matthew Trudeau, a public information officer with the city’s fire department, says VFRS isn’t naming the SRO or building operator in an effort to “stay impartial.”

CTV News has learned the building in question is Hotel Canada, which is owned by the province and run by Atira Services.

In a statement, B.C.'s Ministry of Housing said the building was meant to provide temporary accommodations.

BC Liberal MLA Elenore Sturko accused the government of using a one-size-fits-all approach, taking people with diverse needs and putting them into SROs. She compared it to warehousing, and pointed out some SROs have been running for several years.

"These SROs are costing the public millions and millions of dollars and yet the results that this government is delivering … (are) absolutely horrendous," she told CTV News.

Sturko said the Liberals have suggested more mental health, addictions and treatment supports, and using Riverview Hospital in a new way to deliver care to those with complex needs.

"So when we see these types of behaviours, perhaps there are indications that these are not appropriate facilities for some of these people," Sturko added. "And again, that falls to the government." 

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon wasn't available to take questions Thursday. In a statement, his ministry acknowledged SROs aren't a long-term solution, adding the province wants to create a plan with the City of Vancouver and the federal government to replace or revitalize them.

"They have the responsibility to ensure that these facilities are kept up," added Sturko.

The issue of SROs and so-called slumlords isn't new in Vancouver. For years, residents have called out the deplorable living conditions.

Conditions at the The Balmoral Hotel were so bad, it was condemned and is set to be demolished.

When the province started purchasing hotels in the early days of the pandemic, the hope was things would be different.

The VFRS is also hoping to inspire change.

“We’re prosecuting the building in hopes of affecting some change there,” Trudeau told CTV News.

He says VFRS received multiple calls daily from this particular SRO, at significantly higher numbers than any other building in the city.

“Our first step is always education and prevention, and when that fails we have our fire response. When all of our measures are put in place and that still isn’t working, our last step is legal action.”

Trudeau says the process will likely take months to go to court, and isn’t clear on what amount prosecutors will be asking for in terms of fines.