Cost to taxpayers growing as Granville SRO remains open for 1 resident

B.C. taxpayers are still paying to keep a Granville Street SRO building open for one remaining resident .

It is now past mid-August, so the inferred cost, since July 1, of running the 110-unit Luugat is in excess of $150,000.

Ryan Donnelly, the one resident, was not available on Monday to talk to Global News.

The B.C. government promised to close the Luugat by the end of June and while it said that Donnelly has been offered new housing, he said last month that he has a seizure disorder and requires a large room and a building with an elevator.

Clinical psychologist Julian Somers said the province’s single-room occupancy model is a disaster.

“That’s one of the big things that has to happen in B.C. It’s happening elsewhere. Any European country or city that has tackled a severe addiction problem didn’t group all the people together with minimal supports and call it a day. That just hasn’t worked.”

There is still no timeline on when the B.C. government will close the Luugat.

Last week, B.C.’s Housing Minister Christine Boyle said the situation is “not ideal.”

She also previously said that she thinks the situation is close to being resolved and they are working to find a good option for Donnelly.

“That’s just a waste of taxpayer money,” Granville Street resident Lorne Caron said.

“There’s no financial responsibility, it seems, with this NDP government.”