Updated 11 April 2026: Several million dollars of repair and modernization costs are being billed to Orchard House lessees, which will likely lead to bankruptcy for some of those who barely survived earlier large billings. Already many lessees have had to move out to compromised accommodation so they can rent their suites to tenants for the revenue needed to pay the bills.
The first bill for this year arrived in March, 2026, requiring payment over 12 months to cover $2,439,084 for fire alarm system replacement. It is unclear whether this amount also covers replacement of the low-voltage electrical service to each suite, which was included in the notice lessees received in November 2025 regarding the pending bill for $2.5 million, but was not mentioned in the bill. (What an internet search turned up about replacement of a “low-voltage electrical meter stack” can be found here.)
The November 2025 notice also said there is no price yet for “water supply and sanitary drainage piping” replacement. ‘Another $2.5 million?! I wrote B.C. Minister of Housing about these crushing bills; she wrote back ‘yea, we’re watching your situation’. Great.
Pending-project notices; October 2025 and earlier:
Major expenses for mechanical projects were billed to Orchard House lessees during 2024 and 2025, with another round expected in 2026. The first of two letters in August 2024 told lessees to make six monthly payments beginning in October, which per suite total as follows: about $3,600 for studios, $5,000 for one-bedrooms and $7,000 for two-bedroom suites, which have three different sizes. The total of almost $1,354,461 includes a shortfall of $297,461 that was billed in June of 2025.
The phased project was for “boiler replacement” plus refurbishment of the hot tub. It appears that both the space heating and tap hot-water boilers were replaced, which these days should mean more efficient sharing of natural gas-fired heating of the two water systems. Technical note: heating hot water has rust inhibitor added to it and runs in a “closed” system; it is separate from tap hot water. The flue system to the roof was also replaced.
The second letter dated 19 August 2024 told lessees of further pending projects, such as “water system re-piping” and replacement of “low-voltage meter stack and fire alarm, etc.”, giving no estimate for the first, but $350,000 for the second.
Back in November of 2023 lessees had been sent a notice of these upcoming projects, which vastly under-estimated the pending expenses.
Some lessees have not been able to pay these bills, so have sold their suite assignments or moved to lower-quality accommodation (mom’s basement?, a friend’s couch?), so they can rent their suite for the needed income. Orchard House has a declining number of resident lessees. An earlier round of such billings and suite assignment sales (sometimes at a loss… bankruptcies?) occured 2010 – 2016. In those years the second phase of exterior glazing replacement, re-roofing, re-decking the parking garage roof, etc., totaled almost $30,000 for studios, $45,000 for one-bedroom suites, and $60,000 for two-bedroom suites.
In September of 2024 I wrote to MLAs and the Ministry of Housing about the impact of these new bills on Orchard House lessees, and also reminded them of the tragedy unfolding at Surrey’s Sun Creek Estates, where wood-frame building refurbishments over several years are costing lessees more than $200,000 each.
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