The housing critic in the House of Assembly says there are too many unknowns in the sale of a hotel near the St. John’s Airport being used for transitional housing.

Government leased the former Comfort Inn about a year-and-a-half ago, converting it to lodging for up to 100 people. The province is paying a total of $21-millionn over three years, plus providing millions of dollars worth of wraparound supports.

The hotel has since been sold, but no information is available on price or purchaser. Government will only say that the three-year lease will remain in place.

Cape St. Francis MHA Joedy Wall, who has been critical of the process from the outset as there was no tender call, has numerous questions. For starters, the Government of British Columbia embarked on a similar process, but bought the hotel outright.

“They should be accountable for taxpayers’ dollar and transparency but we’re talking about millions of dollars here,” says Wall. “And we’re still hearing of issues within the Airport Heights community and the airport authority is issuing notices, telling people to watch their belongings.”