Saskatoon fire department shutters problematic Prairie Heights condo

A condo building in Pleasant Hill has been shut down by the Saskatoon Fire Department after multiple attempts to solve dangerous and unsanitary living conditions over many months.

Saskatoon assistant fire chief Yvonne Raymer said the department couldn’t continue to stand by and watch the building deteriorate any longer.

“Despite our best efforts to ensure the building was safe, clean and not a fire hazard, we cannot get ahead of the constant vandalism, squatting, drug trade (and) risky and unhealthy behaviours,” Raymer said in a news release.

Two weeks after inspectors closed 16 of the 44 suites inside the condo tower at 1416 20th St. W, Raymer cited a water leak in the building seeping through the drywall and filling up the elevator shaft as the reason for shuttering the building.

“It was unable to be ascertained exactly what was leaking,” Raymer said. “At this point, it’s no longer feasible due to the number of residents affected to do the work and then invoice back to the condo owners.”

Members from the Saskatoon Fire Department, the Ministry of Social Services, Saskatoon police and the Saskatoon Tribal Council were at the building Thursday at 9 a.m.

Residents of the 14 affected units — roughly 15 people — were given just five hours to find a new place to live.

“It’s always harsh when we have to make the heavy decision to close a building. It doesn’t come without empathy. We can’t take the risk of anybody’s life being at risk with us being in the know of the situation,” Raymer said.

The water had to be turned off. With no functioning fire prevention system, property maintenance concerns and fire code violations, condo owners have a lengthy list of repairs to complete before the building can reopen.

Another problem complicating the mismanagement of the building is a lack of a condo board.

“This is the first time where we’ve ran into a condominium where there was no condo board, and really, the building had no type of property management or administrator,” Raymer said. “Even some of the owners who were renting didn’t know who their tenants were.”

Thirty suites are boarded and vacant. Of the 14 suites affected by the closure, three were occupied by owners. One person owns or controls 15 suites. An estate owns another 11 suites.

“Social Services and our community partners are on-site to reach out to any tenants who require income support to address their immediate needs such as food, shelter and transportation. Once an individual or family’s emergency housing needs are met, income assistance staff will begin working with them on a longer-term plan for stable housing,” a statement from the Ministry of Social Services said.

In 2020, firefighters and police officers responded to the building a combined 512 times. In 2021, both departments were sent to the building 176 times.

Last month, the fire department issued an invoice to property owners who collectively owe nearly $58,000 for repairs completed by various companies.