Tenants evacuated in May begin moving back into Birchwood Terrace

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/12/2024 (302 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tenants have started moving back into Birchwood Terrace, nearly seven months after an emergency evacuation was ordered for the St. James apartment building.

About 250 residents were forced to leave May 9, after the block was deemed unsafe due to deteriorating steel support columns in an underground parkade.

The City of Winnipeg deemed it safe to return when it issued an occupancy permit Dec. 17, following an inspection of repairs. All conditions of a “mitigate unsafe condition order” were met, the city said.

Contractors continued to complete work in suites when a Free Press reporter visited the building Monday. One tenant, who declined an interview, was preparing to move back in Monday.

It was unclear how many tenants are returning to Birchwood Terrace, which is owned by Ladco Co. Ltd. and managed by Lakewood Agencies.

Some decided not to renew their leases and moved elsewhere, while a return date remained uncertain earlier this year.

Some of the displaced residents stayed in hotels at the province’s expense until they found a new place to live or until Birchwood Terrace was deemed safe to return.

The Manitoba government said it had spent about $216,000 to support 136 residents as of Sept. 30.

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Tenants were initially supported by the city and Canadian Red Cross before the province took over June 1.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca