Over a year with no heat and water leaks for West End tenants

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Good morning,

Sometimes our stories are on the lighter side, focusing more on analysis and insights to help you understand Vancouver.

And other days, like today’s, our journalism focuses on the people in Vancouver and the challenges they’re facing in their everyday lives.

Today is one of those days. So I won’t take up your time in the intro, and let you get to Nate’s story, one that I believe is one of the most important stories we’ve covered here at Vancity Lookout.

Let’s dive in.

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout managing editor

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

If you have any tips, leads, or story ideas, you can reach out to Nate directly at [email protected] 

WEATHER

Friday: 9 🌡️ 3 | ☁️

Saturday: 9 🌡️ 2 | 🌤️

Sunday: 11 🌡️ 6 | 🌤️

Monday: 13 🌡️ 6 | ☁️

BY-ELECTION NUMBERS

❄️ 79%: The level of BC’s snowpack compared to normal years. Not a good sign for droughts in the province this summer! Vancouver and the Lower Fraser area are at 89 per cent. [CBC]

✈️13th: The ranking for YVR in Skytrax airport rankings. That’s up four spots from last year. [Urbanized]

📈 3.8%: Vancouver’s industrial real estate vacancy rate in the first quarter of 2025, up from 2.1 last year. [Business in Vancouver]

INVESTIGATIVE

Over a year with no heat and water leaks for West End tenants

Story by Nate Lewis.

What happened: Tenants in a West End apartment building are speaking out about a lack of timely and effective maintenance in their units and building common areas—in violation of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA), a tenancy agreement, and city by-laws—which they say is negatively affecting their living situations and mental health. 

What we heard: Donna Irwin said her unit has not had heat for the past two winters, while Sara Cardona, another tenant in the same building, said she and her roommate could not use their kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom for prolonged periods of time due to water leaks and associated work on their unit over a nearly two-year period.  

• “We are aware of the concerns regarding the heating and leaking in our property and we are actively working to resolve all the issues as quickly and efficiently as possible,” the property manager, Vancouver Management Ltd. (VML), said in a statement to Vancity Lookout. 

Both Irwin and Cardona were successful in cases they brought to the Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) against VML, with the building’s property manager being found to be in breach of the tenancy agreement with Irwin and breaching the RTA in Cardona’s case.

Cold winters: “My whole way of life has been disrupted and turned upside down… my mental health is just a mess,” Irwin, who has been living in her apartment for 11 years, told Vancity Lookout. 

Without heat in the winter of 2024-25, ice formed on the windows of the top-floor unit, with temperatures below 13°C, according to evidence referenced in a Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) decision on the matter. 

“It's fine during the day, but at night time it gets down to two or three degrees,” Irwin said.

• “Heat is, during these cold winter months, quite probably one of the important services provided by a landlord to a tenant,” RTB arbitrator Adrian Denegar said.

Irwin’s unit was not the only one with heating issues. In November 2024, “several corner units” reported heat issues, with tenants having insufficient or no heat, according to VML. 

The property manager provided or reimbursed tenants for portable heaters they said, while hiring several plumbers to assess and provide a long-term fix for the problem, which they were unable to do for various reasons. 

• “I find it difficult to believe that the Landlord has called in 5 to 6 plumbers none of whom were able to ascertain, let alone fix, the problem,” Denegar said in the February 2025 decision. 

The building, built in 1930, is heated by a boiler and hot water pipes. Two heating pipe leaks were discovered in February, and pipe replacement has been completed as of April 10, VML said. 

• As of April 10, Irwin said she still does not have heat in her unit. 

No heat, no rent: Denegar ruled that – beginning in mid-Februrary 2025 – Irwin does not have to pay rent until the heat is fixed, and awarded her just under $1,350 in compensation for the lack of heat this past winter. 

“I am not confident that the Landlord will take necessary or urgent steps in resolving the lack of heat issue in a timely manner. That it has taken the Tenant multiple attempts to have the Landlord fix this issue over a period of almost 5 months is, quite frankly, wholly unacceptable,” Denegar said, noting that the landlord had agreed to fix the heating problem a year prior in a separate RTB case brought by Irwin. 

VML said that “due to the ongoing heating issues… and the uncertainty around resolution timelines,” they offered Irwin the opportunity to relocate to a “larger unit with reliable heating.” 

• Irwin declined, saying she doesn’t want to move. While the third-floor unit has heat and a small second bedroom, it doesn’t have any outdoor space, she said. 

Irwin told Vancity Lookout that a total of ten plumbers had come to assess her heat issue. She has been frustrated by communication problems around the timing and nature of repairs, and a lack of notice in visits from the landlord and their representatives. “My stress level is through the roof,” she said.

Denegar was also critical of the landlord’s communication, saying there was “no particular urgency in the Landlord’s actions or decision-making that might reflect the importance of a lack of heat,” based on email conservations between Irwin and VML. 

Nearly two years of leaks: Sara Cardona said she and her roommate couldn’t use their kitchen for six months in 2023 – while the ceiling was opened up, cabinets removed, and new pipes installed by multiple different contractors – without voluntary compensation or a reduction in rent from the landlord. 

• “We're basically either ordering out [or] I would prepare things that didn't require cooking, like salads. We did that for a very long time,” Cardona said. 

“The Tenant has suffered many, many months of what appears to be an unfixed water leak. The leaking… affects important parts of the rental unit, namely, the bathroom, kitchen, and more recently, the bedroom,” Denegar, the same RTB arbitrator, wrote in a January 2025 decision. 

• Denegar awarded Cardona $300 per month or $2,700 in total compensation. However, that was only applied to future rent and the previous nine months of the tenancy since VML was hired to manage the property in April 2024 – despite Cardona and her roommate dealing with leaks in their unit for nearly two years.   

Those leaks, including a chunk of the bedroom ceiling falling off, led Cardona to ask to be moved into a different unit, with the understanding they could move back once the unit was fixed. “Whatever is happening here is obviously a bigger job,” Cardona said. 

• Initially, Cardona said VML offered to move her and her roommate into another similar-sized unit on a higher floor for $650 more than their current rent, or into a one-bedroom for the same price. 

Eventually – shortly after the RTB decision – Cardona and VML came to an agreement that they would move to a one-bedroom in the building with a $300 reduction in rent. 

The new setup means Cardona’s roommate has their bed in the living room. “It's not ideal, but we'd rather have less privacy than worrying that our ceilings were gonna collapse on us,” Cardona said. 

Common areas: In addition to the problems in the units, in February, Vancity Lookout was shown evidence of cut-open ceilings and walls, exposed pipe, and visible mold in common areas throughout the building – particularly on the ground floor.

VML said they hired a restoration company that month to “dry, treat for mold, and sterilize the attic using ozone.” 

VML said there are “no major ongoing leaks” currently, but they have observed occasional leaks on the main floor. They plan to replace the pipes next week, and said they have initiated a building-wide re-piping project. 

Building ownership: The building in question, the 1930-built Macdonald Apartments, was bought for $11.45 million in April 2022. 

According to public records, the building’s current owner is Fan-Frazer Holdings Ltd., which listed Yu Duo Ding and Jing Ding as its corporate directors when the company incorporated in March 2021. 

• In addition to its West End building, the company owns three other rental apartment buildings in Vancouver, two in Kitsilano and one in Fairview.

By-law issues: Fan-Frazer Holdings Ltd, is currently the subject of formal enforcement by the City of Vancouver for by-law violations at Macdonald Apartments. 

• The city is investigating seven current by-law violations at the building, including issues with heat, maintenance, walls and ceilings, and fire safety. 

The city said they are “not aware of any life safety issues” in the building, but said they will continue to investigate and work with the property owner to ensure compliance with city by-laws.

VML said they are cooperating fully with the city inspector and coordinating inspections of the property.   

SPONSORED BY VIFF CENTRE

Support Canadian and Indigenous filmmaking: VIFF's Canadian Film Week begins

VIFF celebrates exceptional Canadian and Indigenous filmmaking with 18 feature films, featuring six Vancouver premieres and four brand new films from BC filmmakers. Including:

• Nova Ami & Velcrow Ripper's Incandescence, a mesmerizing cinematic contemplation of the power of wildfires

• Darrell Dennis' Sweet Summer Pow Wow , a charming love story about two young people who meet on BC's Pow Wow circuit

• Ben Immanuel's Are We Done Now?, a wry, self-aware Covid comedy set in a sparsely populated Vancouver

• Carl Bessai's plaintive mid-life crisis film Field Sketches, starring Vincent Gale

• Atom Egoyan’s wildly ambitious latest feature Seven Veils, starring Amanda Seyfried

• Kazik Radwanski's Matt and Mara, featuring terrific performances from Deragh Campbell and Matt Johnson

Plus free screenings on National Canadian Film Day, April 16, and a chance to go behind-the-scenes at filmmaker Q&As.

Get tickets.

THE AGENDA

📈 All that pressure Metro Vancouver has faced in the past few months has resulted in the board of directors promising $22 in savings on the yearly cost increase, with $364 million in savings in total over the next four years. Essentially, costs will go up slower than forecasted in future years. Most of that comes from finding efficiencies with debt servicing costs. [Vancouver Sun]

🚨 Three suspects have been identified in the death of a 92-year-old man in Chinatown, who was found near Main and East Hastings in an alley on Mar. 18. He later died on Mar. 31. No one has been arrested yet. [CBC]

💸 Some areas of Kits Beach will now have additional paid parking rather than being free. Parking within Cornwall Avenue, Arbutus Street, Chestnut Street, and Ogden Avenue, will be set at a rate of $1.50 per hour from 9 am to 5 pm, with different rates during other hours. [Urbanized]

👮 The longest-serving sergeant in the Vancouver Police Department, Keiron McConnell, has admitted to sending sexualized messages to five separate women and faces demotion and a 20-day suspension. The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner has also called on the department to adopt sexual harassment training. [CBC]

📊 Here’s an insightful chart (a table, technically?) from the CBC’s Justin McElroy on how each main candidate performed in the by-election by voting location. An enterprising municipal reporter could probably wring a few stories out of this data. [Bluesky]

Sports

🏒 And with that, the Canucks are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Minnesota had to lose all their remaining games for the Canucks to make it, and that didn’t happen. It was a wild season for the Canucks, who faced turmoil in the locker room and failed to hold leads on the ice. “It’s unlikely at this point,” fan favourite Brock Boeser said about his chances of being a Canuck next year. Boeser becomes a free agent next year after 10 years with the Canucks. [Daily Hive] 

⚽ The Whitecaps are off to the Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final against Inter Miami and (maybe) Lionel Messi, with a 2-2 draw against Mexico City’s Pumas. The Whitecaps have been on an absolute tear lately — they are in first place in the MLS, even without one of their top players Ryan Gauld. [The Guardian]

Outside of Vancouver

👮 Victoria has poached from Vancouver! The Victoria Police Department has hired one of Vancouver’s deputy police chiefs, Fiona Wilson, as their new police chief. She starts her new role on Aug. 15 after working for the VPD since 1999. [CTV]

🚢 Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to repeal the oil tanker ban in BC’s North Coast, in an attempt to get more Canadian oil to international markets, he said. [CPC]

TRANSIT

TransLink funding secured, but only in the short term

What happened: For over a month we covered the story of TransLink’s budget deficit, with the transit provider warning that up to 50 per cent of bus service could be cut if it’s operation budget wasn’t fixed. 

• Luckily that won’t come to pass because TransLink and the BC government have come to a funding agreement.

The details: We’ll cover this more in Monday’s newsletter, but the funding comes from a mix of property tax increases in Metro Vancouver, a $0.05 increase in transit fares in July, higher YVR AddFare trips and an increase to off-street parking fees. 

• The problem: It’s not a permanent solution. TransLink noted that it will only cover up to 2027. 

Next steps: The plan has a public input stage before it is approved, which you can participate in here. After that, it must be approved by TransLink’s Board and the Mayors’ Council at their Apr. 30 meeting.

What it means: We’ll have more to say on Monday after spending more time looking at the plan, but TransLink’s operating budget issues have been given some breathing room, at least in the short term.

Dig deeper: Our series on TransLink’s funding problems is worth reading to understand just how much of a challenge TransLink and the region faces. And it’s still an ongoing concern, given future funding needs. 

• Why Vancouver’s transit system is at risk and what it means for commuters

• What happens if TransLink can’t fix its deficit?

• How to fill TransLink’s funding deficit and who will pay for it

EVENTS

Canadian Film Week | VIFF Centre | April 11-17 | Now playing: VIFF's Canadian Film Week celebrates Canadian and Indigenous storytelling – from charming love stories to essential documentaries. Plus filmmaker Q&As, free screenings, and more | Learn more [Sponsored]

Barret Bai at the Garden | Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, 578 Carrall St. | Select dates in Apr., May & Jun. at 12:30 pm | Tickets $16

Taste of Sardegna | Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan Street | Apr. 11, 6:00 pm | Tickets $81

Hot Chefs & Cool Jazz Gala | Fairmont Pacific Rim, 1038 Canada Place | Apr. 11 at 6:30 pm | Tickets from $185

Brewhalla Beer and Music Festival | The Shipyards, 125 Victory Ship Way | Apr. 11, 5:00 pm | Tickets $35-$45

Abbotsford Tulip Festival | 3663 Marion Rd, Abbotsford | Apr. 12-May 11 at 10:00 am | Learn more

Global Climate Strike march and rally | Vancouver Art Gallery | Apr. 13, 1 pm | Free

Vive les voyageurs French-Canadian Festival | Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada, Mavis Avenue, Langley | Apr. 12-13, 10:00 am | Tickets $9

Vancouver Vaisakhi Parade and Festival | Khalsa Diwan Temple, 8000 Ross Street | Apr. 12, 10:45 am | Free

Sakura Days Japan Fair | VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak Street | Apr. 12-13 | Tickets $24

Kitsilano Comedy Classic | Hollywood Theatre, 3123 West Broadway | Apr. 17 at 8:00 pm | Tickets from $35

Art Vancouver 2025 | Vancouver Convention Centre East, 999 Canada Place | Apr. 24 at 6 pm - Apr. 27 at 5 pm | Tickets from $30

On The Periphery Art Show | The Polygon Gallery, 101 Carrie Cates Court | Apr. 23 at 6:00 pm | Tickets $40

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Here’s an interesting breakdown from CBC reporter Justin McElroy on where each main candidate did well in the by-election. 

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• You could own a castle-like home in the interior for the same price as a Vancouver tear-down. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• This humble Japanese spot on Alma Street had our food critic from our sister publication in Ottawa swooning during his recent trip to the city. 

• Now this is a hilarious headline from Canada’s favourite satirical site about Vancouver’s cherry blossoms. [The Beaverton]

• Oscar is not a trash monster, but a dog discovered in the trash in Pacific Spirit Regional Park. While he was injured, he’s luckily recovering and doing good! [CTV]

Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

GAME TIME

Think you can guess today’s Vancouver Wordle? Play it here.