Tenants evicted from College Avenue apartment complex can return home
Province says notice of violations was served to Winnipeg building owner Friday
Tenants who were evicted from a North End Winnipeg apartment building can go home after the province says a notice of violations was served to the building owner Friday.
The Residential Tenancies Branch has issued orders locking out the owner of the building at 285 College Ave.
"Today, investigators with the RTB served the landlord with notice of the violations that he's committed," a provincial spokesperson told CBC News Friday afternoon.
The province also said in a news release Friday afternoon "several orders" have been issued to the landlord by RTB.
The province will have security at the apartment complex starting at 8 p.m. today and will provide 24-hour security until midnight Monday, the release said. The security team has been given a list of tenant names and there will be new keys available for tenants to access their apartments.
Identification matching the tenancy list or proof of tenancy will be required, the release said.
Last Weekend, tenants were given cash and told to immediately vacate after a notice saying the building was shut down was posted at the front entrance. The province later responded, saying the evictions were illegal.
Marion Willis, executive director of the outreach organization St. Boniface Street Links, said RTB is changing the locks and keys. Many of the tenants were people her organization had worked to move into housing from homeless encampments
A vehicle for a locksmith company was also outside the building Friday afternoon.
People will be happy to return home, but Willis said it's bittersweet because their living spaces will not be how they once were, she said.
"Sweet that they get to go back, bitter that they will be unlocking their doors to see all their furniture, all their possessions are gone," said Willis.
Devony Hudson, a building tenant, was outside the apartment complex Friday. She found out she could move back home after biking by Friday afternoon.
She's relieved and surprised by the development.
"I want to see everybody come back home," she said. "That'd be awesome."
Willis also said the actions taken by the RTB were a "significant step forward."
"It's an impactful step and let's just see where it all goes," she said.
The provincial spokesperson said Winnipeg police were going to be at the complex until 5 p.m., but the province was working to get that timeframe extended.
The province also said more orders or charges are possible.
With files from Rosanna Hempel