Media Release: UNITE HERE Local 40 Launches Website for Cautious Home Buyers

Website for prospective pre-sale buyers of homes developed by Jayen Properties

Vancouver, BC — UNITE HERE Local 40, the hospitality workers union, has launched a new website for prospective home buyers considering pre-sales purchases of condominiums and townhouses developed by Jayen Properties.

JayenPropertiesMonitor.org is for prospective investors undertaking due diligence when considering an investment in Jayen Properties’ residential developments and real estate professionals involved in pre-sales. Jayen Properties is currently in pre-sales for the LEVEL condominium development in Coquitlam and Park & Maven in Surrey.

According to the Real Estate Development Marketing Act (REDMA), developers should disclose material facts that could affect a purchaser’s decision about a project. Buyers take financial risks when buying a home and ought to have more information made available to them about the developers behind the glossy marketing.

The website provides details about a lawsuit filed last year against the president of Jayen Properties, Sukhminder Rai, and ten of his affiliated companies. Rai recently reached a settlement for undisclosed terms with affiliates of the Siksika Nation over allegations of fraud and misappropriation of nearly $16 million in funds. Jayen Properties was not named in the lawsuit but Jayen Homes, a related residential construction contractor, was one of the ten companies sued. Rai denied the allegations.

Jayen Properties’ president co-owns Westin Calgary Airport through a joint venture with Siksika Nation affiliates. Funds that were allegedly supposed to go to Westin Calgary Airport were transferred to companies controlled by Jayen’s president, including Jayen Homes, or directed to offshore accounts.

Siksika Nation affiliates successfully petitioned a court to appoint an Interim Receiver to take over financial and operational control of the hotel from Jayen’s hotel management affiliate, PHI Hotel Group. The court also issued a freezing order affecting several bank accounts linked to Jayen’s president and Jayen Homes. The freeze was later reduced in scope. The receivership began August 2023 and continued into November 2024.

The new website www.JayenPropertiesMonitor.org includes:

Information related to the recent lawsuit, the interim receivership, and settlement involving Jayen’s president that prospective home buyers should consider when weighing a pre-sales investment.
Links to news and legal documents, court orders, reports by the Interim Receiver, and affidavits, including several provided by Raj Khangura, Chief Financial Officer of Jayen Properties, related to the lawsuit and receivership.
A fact check on developments purported to be “coming soon” in Jayen Properties’ marketing materials at 3500 Cessna Drive in Richmond, 9711 137 Street in Surrey, and 927 Main Street and The Cobalt Hotel in Vancouver, but have not received necessary approvals.

UNITE HERE Local 40 is monitoring business developments related to Jayen Properties and its affiliated companies. Local 40 represents workers at Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport and The Deck at Radisson Blu which is majority owned and managed by affiliates of PHI Hotel Group and controlled by the president of Jayen Properties. The Radisson Blu workers have been on strike for three and a half years.

Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785

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