A Vancouver SRO, operated by Atira, which receives most of its funding from the B.C. government, was recently kept open for months for only two tenants.
Now, the Gastown rooming house only has one tenant.
Robert, who did not provide his last name, is the last tenant of the 140-room Colonial Hotel in Gastown.
The building is now privately owned, and the government says that BC Housing has been working to find new homes for tenants, but Robert is refusing to move.
Robert told Global News that he likes the building, but he has been offered many other places.
B.C.’s Minister of Housing said she could not provide how much the Colonial Hotel has cost taxpayers and who is now paying for it.
“The work continues to support tenants in finding better housing, obviously, that doesn’t happen in a flash,” Christine Boyle said.
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“BC Housing and the provider work one-on-one with tenants to find the right location that they can move to.”
In a statement to Global News, Atira would not reveal how long the building has stayed open for two tenants or the cost.
“Atira’s agreement to operate the Colonial Hotel as an SRO ended on April 30, 2026,” the organization said.
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