Going inside to escape the cold hasn’t been an option for Willow Manor apartment residents in Vernon, B.C.
Global News is not identifying the residents due to privacy concerns.
“At night time it’s been brutal,” a resident told Global News. “Some days we have to bundle up with three blankets, PJs. I had chunks of ice on my windows.”
The heat in the Vernon building, owned by Endicott Living, hasn’t been working for over a month, leaving tenants in a vulnerable position.
“My family has gotten sick within the last month. We have small kids, my daughter’s fever was over 40 C the other day, we had to bring her to the hospital,” said another resident.
With the heat going out at the start of the cold snap, residents had little recourse against the chill.
“-20 C was pretty bad in our living room, we have a small space heater provided by the landlord, but it doesn’t do much, still very cold at night,” the second resident said.
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According to tenants, the landlord said the heat would be fixed once the temperature hits above 0 C, but with multiple days at that temperature, it has yet to be fixed.
Residents were given a $100 rebate, but with the added use of space heaters, those savings are going towards their hydro bill.
Global News reached out to Willow Manor and Endicott Living for comment but did not receive a response.
