Olympic Village gets review of high energy costs

The City of Vancouver has decided to review the energy costs of tenants living in subsidized housing at the Olympic Villageand will stop billing Village residents while the review is underway.

The development was once hailed as North Amercia's greenest neighbourhood for its energy efficient, no-waste design.

But residents have been complaining for months that heating costs in the new eco-friendly development are far too high, claiming their utility costs are at least two to three times higher than normal.

'We're going to have to find another place to live.' Tenant Pam Burge

One tenant said he paid $60 a month for hydro in his former unit and now pays $140 monthly in the Olympic Village.

The city has commissioned an independent engineering study to get to the bottom of the complaints, said property manager Tom Armstrong.

"The city is going to cover all the tenant utility costs from the time they moved in until the end of August," Armstrong added. "So we won't start billing the tenants for their energy use until September 1."

But senior Pam Burge said water and heat for residents on fixed incomes in other subsidized housing is usually included in the rent.

"We are on minimal incomes most of us are on pension or disability," Burge said. "We live at the poverty line or below, and this is the deal breaker. We're going to have to find another place to live."

Burge says even if the engineering review leads to billing adjustments, residents on fixed incomes will still not be able to afford the additional costs.