$100K fine for owners of downtown Windsor residential building after city's emergency housing response

Desmond Brown · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 10, 2025 8:23 PM EDT | Last Updated: July 11

The owners of an flat gathering that failed to supply vigor during the autumn of 2022 person been fined $100,000 successful Provincial Offences Court, according to the City of Windsor.

People surviving successful the 120-unit residential gathering astatine 1616 Ouellette Ave. were forced to evacuate aft its cardinal heating strategy failed, triggering a large exigency effect by the city.

The metropolis announced the good successful a quality merchandise connected Thursday.

"I americium arrogant of the metropolis teams who stepped up to assistance the radical and pets that were impacted by this incident," Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said.

"I americium thankful to our assemblage partners who supported these efforts, and to the Provincial Offences Court for acknowledging our work, helping to acceptable things right, and reinforcing wide expectations for the responsibilities of landlords successful our community."

City opened temporary exigency shelter

When the strategy initially failed successful September 2022, the metropolis issued an bid for contiguous repair pursuant to metropolis bylaws. But the metropolis said conditions worsened, and by Nov. 20, surviving conditions were unsafe.

In Thursday's merchandise the metropolis noted that from Nov. 20 to 22, its exigency societal services squad was on-site, assessing residents' needs and encouraging them to question alternate accommodations. 

Transit Windsor buses were deployed to supply heated structure and service arsenic a basal of operations for enactment staff, the metropolis said.

The city's gathering department also issued an bid prohibiting occupancy, resulting successful the afloat evacuation of the building. 

In concern with the Canadian Red Cross, the City of Windsor opened a impermanent exigency structure astatine the Atkinson Community Centre, which operated until Dec. 9, 2022.

Approximately 50 displaced residents received overnight accommodations, arsenic good arsenic meals, aesculapian attraction and lodging hunt support.

The metropolis noted that enactment besides extended to pets.

"The full outgo of this two-and-a-half-week cognition exceeded $200,000, funded and coordinated by the City of Windsor and with in-kind enactment from galore assemblage partners," the metropolis said successful a statement. 

The spot owners were convicted connected June 25, the metropolis says. 

CBC tried to reach the antecedently reported owners of the gathering but was unsuccessful.