More than a dozen Montreal households are facing uncertainty after an emergency evacuation forced residents out of an apartment building in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce because of serious structural concerns.
Tenants told Global News they were given only a few hours’ notice Wednesday evening that they would need to leave their apartments by Thursday morning, leaving many scrambling to find temporary accommodations.
Scenes of confusion unfolded in the lobby of the building at the corner of Old Orchard and Monkland avenues, as residents rushed to gather belongings and make arrangements.
Several tenants said they initially questioned the legitimacy of the evacuation notice.
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They say that changed when city inspectors and firefighters arrived on site. A fence was installed to block the main entrance, and officials went door to door to all 16 units, informing residents the building was structurally unsafe and had to be vacated immediately.
The evacuation order also applies to ground-floor businesses, including popular neighbourhood businesses like Monkland Taverne, Old Orchard Pub and Rockaberries.
In a statement, the building’s owner, Elfaco Management, said, “ownership discovered a number of deficiencies and engaged an engineering team to conduct a thorough investigation.”
It continued, “Ownership is committed, first and foremost, to the safety and well-being of its residents and to the integrity of the building, and is acting in close coordination with the engineers and municipal authorities.”
The management company said it became aware of the building’s conditions at the same time as occupants.
Interim NDG Mayor Sonny Moroz said the borough acted quickly after concerns were raised.
“Within 48 hours of receiving a tenant complaint, the Borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce ordered a preventive evacuation to ensure public safety,” Moroz said.
“All tenants are safe and are being supported by the Montréal Municipal Housing Office. A counter-assessment is underway to determine when it will be safe to return.”
The City of Montreal says it is continuing to gather information about the condition of the building and is working to help residents temporarily relocate.
The dessert shop was forced to relocate thousands of dollars’ worth of cakes and pies in hopes of selling them at another location, while staff at neighbouring businesses worked quickly to salvage food and notify employees.
Tenants say seniors and at least one family with a young baby are among those displaced.
Both residents and business owners say they have been given little information about how long they will be unable to return.
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