Summer isnB次元官网网址檛 fun for Surrey, B.C., renter Inderjit Singh Ghuman.

It means restless nights with his wife and son in an overheating ground-floor basement suite that lacks air conditioning.

B次元官网网址淚t was really uncomfortable here in my unit. It was hot and my family couldnB次元官网网址檛 sleep in the nighttime,B次元官网网址� Ghuman said, referring to July. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 tough here on hot days.B次元官网网址�

His 18-year-old son has been struggling to study in stifling conditions in recent weeks.

Ghuman, 48, has been taking medication for anxiety and depression, and he worries that a lack of rest is making matters worse.

When he heard the B.C. government was providing free air conditioners to vulnerable people, Ghuman thought his sleepless nights were over.

Instead, he encountered a hurdle that is preventing some vulnerable people from accessing the program B次元官网网址� the involvement of landlords.

Advocates worry that requiring a landlordB次元官网网址檚 consent to obtain an air conditioner is putting up an unnecessary barrier.

Health Minister Adrian Dix announced in late June that the government would provide $10 million to fund the purchase of up to 8,000 free air conditioners for low income and vulnerable people over three years.

The program is part of the governmentB次元官网网址檚 solution to prevent further deaths in response to the 2021 heat dome, where more than 600 residents died as record-setting temperatures blanketed the province for days.

Susie Rieder, a spokeswoman for BC Hydro, the Crown corporation put in charge of the program, said it received more than 2,000 applications under the scheme and 1,200 had been approved.

Ghuman heard about the program from the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), an advocacy group for lower-income renters of which he is a member.

But he realized he couldnB次元官网网址檛 apply because he doesnB次元官网网址檛 have his own BC Hydro account B次元官网网址� his rent includes utilities.

B次元官网网址淣ow I am sad and so even like this month, there might be another heat wave coming B次元官网网址� I think the government should consider (renters like) us,B次元官网网址� said Ghuman.

He isnB次元官网网址檛 the only one slipping through the cracks.

Another Vancouver-area tenant told of her landlord B次元官网网址渂eing a jerkB次元官网网址� and impeding her application by trying to impose his own conditions. She didnB次元官网网址檛 want to be named for fear of being evicted.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 impossible to sleep and we donB次元官网网址檛 have a cold place to go,B次元官网网址� said the tenant.

During the heat dome, the woman said the temperature in her one-bedroom low-rise apartment rose to more than 40 C.

She escaped the heat by sitting in a friendB次元官网网址檚 car with the air conditioner turned on, she said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a senior on low income, I canB次元官网网址檛 afford to buy an air conditioner and even if I could, I donB次元官网网址檛 have the physical ability to carry it, to move it,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 need help.B次元官网网址�

She said she thought B次元官网网址渋t would be a simple processB次元官网网址� to get an air conditioner under the government plan.

Instead, her landlord stood in the way. The tenant said that after a prolonged back-and-forth, the landlord finally agreed to sign the consent form.

But he crossed out various sections he didnB次元官网网址檛 like, including a clause committing that the property remain housing for low-income tenants for at least one year after acceptance into the program.

B次元官网网址淗e crossed out the sections, which means that IB次元官网网址檓 not eligible because you canB次元官网网址檛 just randomly start crossing things out,B次元官网网址� said the tenant.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 really frustrating,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that many others in her building were in the same situation.

B次元官网网址淲e have seniors in this building that are in a lot more need than me,B次元官网网址� She said. B次元官网网址淪ome of them face south and their place gets really hot. And some of the seniors are not well. I donB次元官网网址檛 know what will happen to them.B次元官网网址�

New Westminster ACORN chair Monica Bhandari said B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 not helpful at allB次元官网网址� for the program to require a landlordsB次元官网网址� consent.

B次元官网网址淚 think it adds another barrier and possible risk to the situation because having another party having to consent, that gives a greater opportunity for them to be denied,B次元官网网址� said Bhandari.

She also said 8,000 units isnB次元官网网址檛 enough.

B次元官网网址�8,000 is like the population of maybe a really small city, like way up north or in the Interior. So how does that even make sense,B次元官网网址� said Bhandari.

The Ministry of Health referred questions to the Ministry of Housing.

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon responded with a statement saying tenants can use air conditioners if not prohibited in their tenancy agreement.

B次元官网网址淟andlords and tenants are encouraged to work together to identify a solution that is suitable to the rental unit and property,B次元官网网址� he said.

But the statement did not address the free air-conditioner program.

Rieder said when HydroB次元官网网址檚 contractors make upgrades to homes, the landlordB次元官网网址檚 consent ensures that the work is allowed within the rental agreementB次元官网网址檚 terms.

David Hutniak, CEO of Landlord B.C., said that it recently encouraged members to work with tenants within the program.

But Hutniak said the current online consent form has created confusion because it is the same form used for an earlier program.

B次元官网网址淭he issue that has arisen however, and one which we identified to BC Hydro at the outset, is that the language in the proposed landlord consent form is incorrect for the particular program,B次元官网网址� said Hutniak.

Rieder said Hydro is now reviewing the terms and conditions to provide more clarity.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e sorry to hear about this, and weB次元官网网址檙e working on providing an information sheet for landlords and updating the landlord consent form to make it clearer.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver Coastal Health said in a statement that a high percentage of people who died during the 2021 heat dome were living alone and without air conditioning.

B次元官网网址淟andlords and strata corporations can make impactful decisions to help protect the health of residents,B次元官网网址� said Emily Newhouse, Fraser Health Medical Health Officer.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e recommending they remove barriers that prevent residents from staying cool.B次元官网网址�

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