Power cut at B.C. trailer park
Power was shut off at a B.C. trailer park due to unresolved safety issues, highlighting the fragility of some low‑cost housing stock and infrastructure challenges. Local coverage describes the outage as symptomatic of operational and safety gaps in lower‑cost housing segments. (theprogress.com)
Power was cut on April 10 at Crown Villa Mobile Home Park in Vernon, British Columbia, after regulators said the site’s electrical system was unsafe. (technicalsafetybc.ca) Technical Safety BC said it first identified critical electrical hazards at Crown Villa in April 2021 and later issued multiple legal orders to the owner. A December 16, 2025 safety order required all outstanding electrical issues to be fixed by April 10, 2026. (technicalsafetybc.ca) The park has 11 mobile homes and one house, and about 30 people live there, according to local and CBC-linked coverage. Because the site’s well pump runs on electricity, the cutoff also left residents without well water. (castanet.net, atinitonews.com) Technical Safety BC said the hazards created an immediate risk of electrical shock and fire, and said the owner had missed earlier milestones, including hiring a licensed electrical contractor and obtaining permits by January 9. The agency said it began issuing a $500-a-day penalty after that deadline, and the penalty reached $36,000 on April 8. (technicalsafetybc.ca, castanet.net) The owner, Carol Goldstone, said she could not afford the work. CBC-linked reporting said repairs to the electrical system were quoted at about $200,000. (atinitonews.com) Goldstone said pad rents at the park had not increased in 37 years and remained under $300 a month. She also said some tenants had not paid rent for several years, leaving the park without money for major repairs. (atinitonews.com) Technical Safety BC said it had warned residents directly, including in a March 27, 2026 communication that described the planned shutoff, the owner’s non-compliance, and the safety risks. The agency said power will stay off until all required corrections are completed. (technicalsafetybc.ca) The case has turned a small mobile home park on Okanagan Avenue into a housing emergency for low-income tenants who own or rent homes tied to aging private infrastructure. As of April 12, it was still unclear whether the repairs would be financed or whether the park could keep operating. (castanet.net, theprogress.com)
