Tenants forced from Montreal apartment building because of structural issues

Residents of a building on Monkland Avenue in Montreal, forced out of their homes because of structural issues, say they don't know when they can return home.

It’s been over a week since 15 tenants were forced from their apartment building on Monkland Avenue in Montreal’s Côte-Des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-De-Grâce borough because of structural issues.

They say they are frustrated because they don’t yet know when they’ll be able to go home.

“Everything that we own is still there,” said Tobias Goulem, standing in front of the building.

He says that he and the building’s other tenants were suddenly evacuated from the building and haven’t been allowed back in.

He claims that the city is helping some residents find accommodation, but not everyone qualifies.

“We can’t even get movers to get our stuff out,” adds Claire Anderson, also a tenant of the building. “What do you even do? Our hands are so tied and just waiting and waiting.”

Many of the tenants say they received an email from the building’s owner Elfaco Management.

“The landlord sent us an email recently,” said Goulem. “First time we’ve heard from them since... They were asking us for, ‘Do you guys have insurance? Where are you staying? Are you planning for it to be long-term or short-term?’”

In a message to CTV News, the borough of Côte-Des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-De-Grâce says it has now threatened the landlord with fines for inactivity.

“The borough has given Elfaco Management the ultimatum of Feb. 3 to provide a new assessment report on the condition of the building’s structure, otherwise a first offence will be sent to them for non-compliance,” officials said.

Goulem says he appreciates the borough’s efforts, but doesn’t think it’s enough.

“I don’t know how, really, the fines work but the sum was $500 to $25,000,” he said. “If people with millions and millions of dollars get hit with a $500 fine, I don’t think it’s going to make a difference for them in the grand scheme of things.”

Elfaco Management said in a statement issued to CTV last Thursday that it is “working to establish a timeline aimed at completing the necessary emergency work in order to allow for a safe re-entry to the building.”

Residents say they are worried they may never be able to go home.

“I think there are a lot of laws in place to protect tenants, and I don’t really see that happening right now,” said Anderson.