Government spending questioned as SRO still open while businesses are closing

Government spending is being questioned in B.C. amid the closure of businesses and an empty SRO hotel on Granville Street. The Broadway Subway Project has caused frustration for local business owners due to delays and reduced revenue. SportCheck announced it will close its Mount Pleasant location, and small family businesses are struggling to make ends meet with declining foot traffic.

The Business Improvement Association's Neil Wyles stated that there is no compensation policy for the struggling merchants, leaving them without assistance. Housing Minister Christine Boyle, who is also the local MLA, faces criticism for allowing the government to spend over $100,000 a month to operate the SRO building on Granville Street while not providing funds for taxpayers in her riding.

The Broadway Subway Project was originally due to be completed in 2025 but is now set to finish in 2027. There are concerns regarding the taxpayer-funded purchase of the Luugat hotel, which was bought by BC Housing in 2020 for $55 million. Urban planner and retired architect Michael Geller suggests the province will likely lose around half of what they paid for the property, as the current assessed value is approximately $27 million, down from the $38.6 million at the time of purchase.