Saskatoon Fire Department slaps Prairie Heights condo board with $58K bill for repairs

The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) is invoicing the condo board of Prairie Heights nearly $58,000 for repairs as well as being a drain on police and fire resources.

In 2020, the fire department responded to the Prairie Heights condo tower 109 times for criminal activity and vandalism. This year, firefighters have been called 45 times.

Early in the new year, the building sustained damage to the sprinklers, smoke alarms and an elevator. The cost of repairs and the time for the SFD and police to co-ordinate and provide security for contractors totalled nearly $58,000.

“In light of the work that has been performed, the contractors must be paid for their services to the condominium properties,” Fire Chief Morgan Hackl said in a news release. “This is not the responsibility of every city taxpayer, but of the condo board and these property owners.

“The City and Fire Department have been very conscientious or careful to consider all the unique circumstances involved: The many owners involved, the life safety issues that have needed to be fixed many times, and the obvious criminal activity in the building.”

The fire department made an effort to clean up the building last summer, but the infractions listed in an Order to Remedy Contravention have not been corrected.

Ultimately, the condo board has the authority to evict problem residents, but the building currently has no management and two owners control nearly two-thirds of the 42 suites.

“This is a highly unusual situation the department finds itself in,” said Assistant Chief Yvonne Raymer. “We can only close a building for as long as the necessary repairs can be made on an order to remedy.

“This would temporarily fix the immediate structural and life safety issues once again but would not address other more serious concerns — notably violence, drug trade, and addictions that would lead to a repeat of vandalism, more violence and unsanitary conditions.”

The owners have 30 days to pay the invoice.