Summer isn害羞草研究所檛 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.

害羞草研究所淚t was really uncomfortable here in my unit. It was hot and my family couldn害羞草研究所檛 sleep in the nighttime,害羞草研究所� Ghuman said, referring to July. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 tough here on hot days.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所� the involvement of landlords.

Advocates worry that requiring a landlord害羞草研究所檚 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 government害羞草研究所檚 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 couldn害羞草研究所檛 apply because he doesn害羞草研究所檛 have his own BC Hydro account 害羞草研究所� his rent includes utilities.

害羞草研究所淣ow I am sad and so even like this month, there might be another heat wave coming 害羞草研究所� I think the government should consider (renters like) us,害羞草研究所� said Ghuman.

He isn害羞草研究所檛 the only one slipping through the cracks.

Another Vancouver-area tenant told of her landlord 害羞草研究所渂eing a jerk害羞草研究所� and impeding her application by trying to impose his own conditions. She didn害羞草研究所檛 want to be named for fear of being evicted.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 impossible to sleep and we don害羞草研究所檛 have a cold place to go,害羞草研究所� 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 friend害羞草研究所檚 car with the air conditioner turned on, she said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a senior on low income, I can害羞草研究所檛 afford to buy an air conditioner and even if I could, I don害羞草研究所檛 have the physical ability to carry it, to move it,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 need help.害羞草研究所�

She said she thought 害羞草研究所渋t would be a simple process害羞草研究所� 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 didn害羞草研究所檛 like, including a clause committing that the property remain housing for low-income tenants for at least one year after acceptance into the program.

害羞草研究所淗e crossed out the sections, which means that I害羞草研究所檓 not eligible because you can害羞草研究所檛 just randomly start crossing things out,害羞草研究所� said the tenant.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 really frustrating,害羞草研究所� she said, adding that many others in her building were in the same situation.

害羞草研究所淲e have seniors in this building that are in a lot more need than me,害羞草研究所� She said. 害羞草研究所淪ome of them face south and their place gets really hot. And some of the seniors are not well. I don害羞草研究所檛 know what will happen to them.害羞草研究所�

New Westminster ACORN chair Monica Bhandari said 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 not helpful at all害羞草研究所� for the program to require a landlords害羞草研究所� consent.

害羞草研究所淚 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,害羞草研究所� said Bhandari.

She also said 8,000 units isn害羞草研究所檛 enough.

害羞草研究所�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,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淟andlords and tenants are encouraged to work together to identify a solution that is suitable to the rental unit and property,害羞草研究所� he said.

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

Rieder said when Hydro害羞草研究所檚 contractors make upgrades to homes, the landlord害羞草研究所檚 consent ensures that the work is allowed within the rental agreement害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭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,害羞草研究所� said Hutniak.

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

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e sorry to hear about this, and we害羞草研究所檙e working on providing an information sheet for landlords and updating the landlord consent form to make it clearer.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淟andlords and strata corporations can make impactful decisions to help protect the health of residents,害羞草研究所� said Emily Newhouse, Fraser Health Medical Health Officer.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e recommending they remove barriers that prevent residents from staying cool.害羞草研究所�

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