Eyesore construction site irks neighbours

A WINNIPEG resident wants the city to aggressively enforce building permits after a home construction project in his neighbourhood has been at a standstill for more than a year.

Kevin Stuart lives behind a property at 895 Lorette Ave. in the Earl Grey neighbourhood, on which a home is being constructed.

“I have not seen a construction worker or absolutely any movement on it for a year,” he said. “It’s ridiculous.”

In 2023, the Free Press reported about the vacant home on the property that was a target for firebugs and squatters. In May of that year, the home was hit by fire again and was later demolished.

City records show a building permit was issued for the property on Nov. 16, 2023.

At the site on Thursday, an orange tarp covered the concrete foundation and framing lumber was nearby. The property was surrounded by a construction fence. No one was on site and no work was being done.

Stuart said there’s been little activity since the foundation was built in early 2024.

He has filed several complaints with the city about the slow pace of construction, but was told because the property has a permit, the partially constructed home doesn’t fall under the city’s vacant and derelict building bylaw and the property owner can’t be fined.

“This is ludicrous,” he said. “You have a construction site that is an eyesore to the neighbourhood, the fence isn’t secure, but I can’t complain about any of those things because it’s technically not a building.”

City spokesperson Kalen Qually said the city has received complaints, although he wouldn’t say how many, and has conducted inspections at the property.

The bylaw allows a building permit to remain open for three years, at which time the work should be completed and final inspection conducted.

A permit-holder can request extensions, which would require approval from the city.

Qually said there are measures the city can take to encourage compliance with the building bylaw, but they depend on the type of permit issued and responses from the property owner.

The property is being monitored by the city’s inspection branch and staff are “actively engaged with the owner on the status of construction,” Qually said.

The property was previously identified as being owned by BSA Group Ltd., which could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Stuart says if council is serious about increasing housing availability, its building permits must compel property owners to speed up construction.

“There’s supposed to be densification and housing development and yet, we have houses that are sitting permitted by the city but are not being built,” he said.

More new homes have been built in the city so far this year. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. data shows Winnipeg housing starts from January to February were four per cent higher than over the same period last year, increasing to 598 from 576 in 2024.

Coun. Sherri Rollins said she sympathizes with the homeowner but says issues related to the city’s understaffed permitting office could be a factor.

Finances, a change in land ownership, the cost of building materials and additional permit delays can also play a part in the construction timeline.

Rollins (East Fort Garry-Fort Rouge) said money from permits should go back to the department to fund services needed for smoother operations and expedited processes.

Residents are understandably frustrated by delays, she said.

“The only thing that I believe isn’t reasonable is asking them to be patient, right? It’s been a blight right in front of them,” Rollins said.

Stuart agrees.

“For a single family home in a residential neighbourhood with over a year and a half of no construction… there is no reasonable answer,” he said.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca