Changes proposed to Winnipeg vacant building bylaw after report finds it ineffective

Winnipeg could be making some changes to the program meant to tackle the rise in vacant building fires.

The vacant building bylaw introduced last year allowed the city to fine owners for the cost of fighting the fires at their properties.

But a new report has found that model is ineffective, and did not reduce the number of vacant building fires in the city.

“The initial goal of the cost recovery for vacant building fires was to encourage property owners to take action and to address the significant increase in vacant building fires and subsequent associated response costs,” a city report reads.

“However, to date the fees have not reduced vacant building fire occurrences and, in some cases, had negative impacts by discouraging further action on building renovations – potentially leading to repeat fires.”

The report also says payment of the fees has been low and many have resulted in lengthy reviews and complaints, requiring more resources in administration and not achieving cost recovery.

More than $1.1 million in fines were issued, but less than $80,000 has come in.

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Lisa Gilmour with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service says they’re now looking at modifying the program to incentivize owners to change instead of punishing them outright.

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“When you were receiving your first fee, which is maybe $26,000, which is our average, it makes it much harder to do other renovations or take further action,” Gilmour said.

“If you receive a lower fee with the possibility of that increasing with the next fire, you’re going to be much more incentivized to take quick action on that property and make sure you don’t have that second higher fee coming along.”

The proposed set fee structure would charge vacant property owners $5,000 and with each subsequent fire, the rate would increase $5,000 more, to a maximum of $20,000 after four fires.

Maria Suzuki was one of those owners, and was fined more than $100,000 after multiple alleged arsons at her Elgin Avenue rental.

Her lawyer, John Prystanski, says the bylaw put the burden on the wrong party and was not specific enough.

“It seemed to go after the wrong people,” Prystanski said. “Yes, there are vacant buildings, but when you look at the fires in the buildings, they weren’t created by the property owner.

“(The city) did not define what was wrong and what was right and how to go about doing it.”

Winnipeg fire Chief Christian Schmidt says while the program was designed with good intentions, change is needed going forward.

“We want to ensure that there are fees in place, so that we can hold people accountable and I think that we can achieve that with what’s being brought forward.”

If the amendment is passed, Schmidt says Suzuki might recoup some of her fees.

‘There will be opportunity for the prior cases and fires that were billed to be reviewed, that’s all built into the processes that have been put forward.”

The matter is set to be discussed at city hall next Wednesday.

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