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The city then ordered the Sahotas to get another engineer’s assessment in November. Based on that, the city ordered them to immediately install temporary shoring for the first floor, which has since been done, as well as agree to start making permanent repairs this month.

“There is currently a permit in place and we understand that the owner intends to start construction in early May,” the city said. “The City is not aware of when the work will actually commence or who the owners have contracted to complete the work, however a professional engineering company (has) been retained to oversee the project.”

Sam Dharmapala, a former Sahota employee-turned-whistleblower, said he believes an engineer’s report on the first-floor fails to take into account issues on the Cobalt’s upper floors, where Dharmapala said his group has seen floors in hallways and rooms sagging.

The city said its property-use team inspected the Cobalt in June and found 94 violations but during a followup on Jan. 29 and 30 found the Sahotas had addressed all but five. Those have been referred to the city prosecutor’s office for charge approval.

But Dharmapala, now with the Vancouver Tenants Union, said he wants the city to send in its own engineers to inspect the entire building.

“I feel this is the most dangerous building in Vancouver,” he said. He fears the city will soon discover that the Cobalt’s roughly 90 tenants need to be evacuated. Worse, someone may get hurt, he said.