When the Broadway plan was approved, it included stronger protection for renters who have to move out; now a Vancouver woman is questioning whether the reality matches the promise, as she’s still waiting for compensation from her landlord. Keely Ryan lived at 1364 West 11th Avenue from late 2023 to March of last year and, upon leaving, was informed by the City of Vancouver that she was entitled to compensation from the building’s owner through the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy. That’s because the building was up for redevelopment, which was approved by city council at a public hearing last year following CCI Trading Group’s application. “They were supposed to compensate me four months’ rent for the time I had been there, and $750 for movers,” Ryan told CTV News in an interview on Tuesday outside the building. “They didn’t do that.” The building falls within the area set aside for the Broadway plan – a city vision to densify Broadway and the surrounding areas in the coming years. For the Vancouver Tenants Union, the protections outlined in the TRPP don’t go far enough, and they claim there have been problems over enforcement. “Our elected representatives are allowing corporate landlords to decide how these protections are actually administered,” said Michael Cook with the Mount Pleasant branch of the VTU during an interview with CTV News, noting his family also faces eviction as part of the Broadway plan. Ryan’s former landlord told her their understanding of the situation is that compensation is given after a development permit is issued. But Ryan has shared emails with CTV News from the city indicating she is eligible for compensation. “I talked with the city,” Ryan said. “The city wrote that it doesn’t matter if you move out early before an eviction notice is given. You’re still eligible for the compensation for the amount of time that you lived there.” With tens of thousands of renters at risk of displacement as Broadway is densified, Ryan worries the plan isn’t working as advertised. “I’m not doing this just for me,” Ryan said. “There needs to be awareness about what’s actually going on, because there is a lot of people that are going to be affected.” CCI Trading Group responded to a CTV News interview request with a brief statement. “When [Ryan] moved out, we had already advised her that there were no development plans for the project and encouraged her to stay,” wrote Jack Cai. “However, she chose to leave after finding another unit that offered better value. “There are currently no development plans for this project.” While CCI Trading Group says it has no development plans for the project under the TRPP, the city notes CCI has not withdrawn its development application for 1364 West 11th Avenue and confirms its obligations regarding tenant compensation remain in place.
