Group occupying St. Brigid's calls claims it violated Heritage Act bogus

Eviction notices taped to the door of a historic church in Lowertown claim the members of The United People of Canada (TUPC) violated the province's Heritage Act, but the group, which continues to stay at St. Brigid's despite attempts by the current owners to change the locks, disagrees. 

The group with ties to the Freedom Convoy first raised eyebrows in the neighbourhood when it hung large banners with white tree insignia on them and painted the doors to the heritage building red. 

It's been occupying the deconsecrated church for months, as tenants and according to one of the groups leaders as potential owners through a conditional sale agreement. 

That changed Wednesday when the sale of the building fell apart and eviction notices were posted announcing the lease was terminated due to $10,000 in unpaid rent and failure to provide liability insurance in the amount of $5 million. 

The building has now been relisted for sale, but TUPC members show no signs of leaving. 

A bailiff hired by the current owners first appeared to change the locks on Wednesday and has showed up periodically since at 310 St. Patrick Street. The locks were changed at the Rectory Art House next door on Thursday. 

Those written notices also say TUPC is in violation of the Ontario Heritage Act for changing the appearance of the premises without the written approval of the Ontario Heritage Foundation, as well as the Ontario Building Code Act "for failing to obtain necessary permits and approvals for construction works," at the site.

One of TUPC's main organizers and directors, William Komer, says this is the latest tactic of St. Brigid's owners to "unlawfully evict'' the group. 

"Is that stuff posted there their stuff that needs to come into compliance, or is that something they're trying to pin on us? I don't know. Right. But I know we haven't done any substantial renovations," Komer said. 

He says any violations were there before TUPC moved in. 

"We weren't doing anything wrong. We're in breach of any business licensing, anything like that any food services." 

"We've honoured all of our rent obligations," Komer told CBC News, but wouldn't show proof, citing privacy reasons.

St. Brigid's heritage status includes interior

St. Brigid's is unusual in its heritage status because the designation includes a requirement to protect its interior, according to Heritage Ottawa, a volunteer-run group advocating for historical buildings in the nation's capital. 

Those inside elements include wainscotting, the pews and the confessionals. 

Heritage Ottawa wrote a letter to the city asking it to ensure the building's "special character-defining elements" are preserved. 

"Can you please provide us with some reassurance that the city will rigorously enforce the heritage protections afforded this property and how it intends to do this?" the letter reads.

CBC toured the building on Friday and noticed no substantive changes inside, though exterior doors have been painted red — with permission from the owners, Komer says — and a damaged basement concrete floor appears to have been fixed.

The property would require a permit before undergoing any alterations to the interior or exterior of the building — but one isn't needed for painting the doors, according to the city. 

"I have a pretty good passion for historic properties and the restoration and preservation and that sort of thing," Komer said. "I have extensive experience working in heritage properties and going back as far as ten years at this point."

TUPC showed willingness to make required repairs

The property is subject to an outstanding order — issued in March — to repair broken windows and address issues with the molding on the east tower. 

Roger Chapman, the city's director of by-law and regulatory services, said in a statement the changes needed to be made to preserve the heritage attributes of the property. 

Bylaw met with TUPC members on Monday, when they were poised to become owners of the building to explain the need for the repairs, Chapman wrote. 

As the order had been recently registered on the title, Chapman said any future owner of the property would be required to comply.

They group "expressed their intent to comply with all city regulations and to remedy the deficiencies listed on the order," he wrote.