Numerous residents in a Winnipeg building located in the West Broadway area have expressed that their privacy, rights, and safety were compromised due to months of unauthorized construction this summer, leading some to vacate their homes.
However, the new owner contends that the old building requires renovations and defended the management’s communications to the tenants.
Mira Koop, who departed in mid-October, is among the tenants who disagree with this perspective.
“There are legal methods to handle this,” Koop remarked on her final day in the apartment. “They opted for the most despicable approach to evict us.”
The art educator and university student indicated that issues arose following the acquisition of 640 and 644 Westminster Ave. — two connected buildings at the intersection of Langside Street — in July.
Upon returning from a trip shortly after meeting the new property management firm, Chanden Homes Ltd., she discovered her refrigerator and stove had been replaced without any notification, and her internet service was disrupted.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is not my home,'” she recalled during an interview.
The continuous disruptions from renovations throughout August and September severely impacted her quality of life, according to Koop.
Former tenant Mira Koop claims that contractors removed part of her hallway ceiling during the summer. (Submitted by Mira Koop)
Significant alterations included work on the back porch fire exits, which left hazardous gaps in the flooring without safety warnings, and a reduction in space within her unit as contractors prepared to install an HVAC system, she alleged.
“There was noise coming from below due to demolition, noise from above… and additional noise inside my unit while they drilled and removed my entire [hallway] ceiling,” Koop explained.
She also reported instances where contractors entered her apartment without the required 24-hour written notice, as mandated by the Residential Tenancies Branch.
“It was incredibly unsettling and distressing,” Koop stated.
Other tenants echoed her sentiments, including one individual who shared with CBC that five men entered their apartment one morning while they were still asleep to measure appliances and cabinetry.
Two other residents, Madlen Bowen and Liam Simpson, mentioned that they had signed a new lease with the former owner just prior to the building’s sale in July.
Tenants Madlen Bowen and Liam Simpson state they signed a new lease just before the sale of the building. (Trevor Brine/CBC)
They indicated that the new landlord proposed that tenants start covering the costs for heating and water, in addition to raising the rent by nearly 16 percent beginning in January — a hike significantly above the 2025 provincial guideline of 1.7 percent.
Landlords may seek an increase beyond the guideline if the standard rate is insufficient to meet the operating and capital expenses for the unit. Based on emails shared with CBC, the new owner has requested such an increase.
“We can’t consider our residence a home when they are actively trying to turn it upside down,” Bowen remarked. “It’s unbearable.”
The tenants reported that their grievances to Chanden Homes were frequently ignored or trivialized, while notices and services failed to improve significantly.
Owner claims building requires updates
As per company and land title records, 640 and 644 Westminster Ave. were sold on July 29.
Residents assert that contractors and representatives from Chanden Homes commenced work the day before the sale — however, Justin Beaulieu, the director of 640 644 Westminster Avenue Ltd., refutes that any work started prior to the company’s possession.
He maintains that the renovations at the building are essential.
“We recognize that renovations can be challenging for tenants, but considering the building is over a century old, upgrades are necessary,” Beaulieu stated in an email.
City records indicate there have been no construction permits approved for the property since 2000.
The contractor, Bosk Construction, informed CBC that it believed permits were not required for the type of work being performed, which owner Adam Tougas characterized as painting and preparatory work for future construction that would necessitate permits.
This included the installation of panels in the fire exit to prevent water ingress and the replacement of decayed and unsafe floorboards, Tougas explained.
The properties at 640 and 644 Westminster Ave. came under new ownership in July. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
Tougas stated they sought the necessary permits after a city inspector visited in late September and instructed them to cease work.
He assured that his workers would not enter an apartment without confirming that proper notice had been given to the tenants and mentioned that his company began providing its own notifications when tenants expressed concerns or confusion.
“I’m somewhat perplexed and want to ensure that this does not recur going forward,” Tougas commented during a phone interview when asked about the residents’ concerns.
In separate emails, both Beaulieu and Chanden Homes asserted that management provided notices to tenants in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Branch regulations.
Neither party responded to follow-up inquiries.
CBC reviewed several emails from Chanden Homes to tenants indicating that notices were sent with less than a day’s notice prior to the proposed entry time.
“We’ve had numerous requests for entry where either individuals do not show up, or they fail to provide the correct notice and arrive anyway,” tenant Simpson stated.
A provincial spokesperson mentioned that while they cannot comment on individual cases, if a landlord is reported to have entered a unit without the proper notice, an officer from the Residential Tenancies Branch will reach out to the landlord to clarify the legal requirements.
The branch could potentially impose administrative penalties and send a cautionary letter, the spokesperson added in an email to CBC.
‘They aren’t showing us respect’
Residents indicated they began contacting the Residential Tenancies Branch in mid-August, but found the responses they received days later to be mostly unhelpful.
In an email sent to a tenant in early September, the branch stated it “cannot conduct a hearing to prevent the landlord from demolitions and extensive renovations.”
An email sent to another tenant in mid-October informed them that the branch would not initiate a compliance file at that time because the landlord had applied for an above-guideline rent increase. However, the branch noted that the tenant could file a claim for financial loss against the landlord due to a reduction in services and living space.
In an additional October email to a tenant, the branch mentioned it lacks jurisdiction over property standards but could consider directing the landlord to perform repairs and could investigate the lack of proper notice regarding a rent increase.
Mira Koop vacated 640 Westminster Ave. in Winnipeg in mid-October. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
Koop ultimately decided to vacate after receiving a notice on her door in August.
She had spent a night away to catch up on sleep and escape the noise, but the notice stated, “I believe you have abandoned or moved out of this rental unit.”
It also warned that if she did not contact management by August 21, they “may enter the unit; take inventory of what remains in the unit; dispose of any food… or pack and store remaining belongings.”
Koop recounted that when she called Chanden Homes, they informed her that the notice had been issued in error.
While she is relocating, she hopes that by speaking out, she can hold the companies accountable and support the other tenants in keeping their homes.
“No one is moving because of financial reasons,” Koop emphasized.
“We’re leaving due to inadequate communication. We’re departing because they are not treating us with respect.”
Numerous tenants of a West Broadway apartment building in Winnipeg claim their privacy, rights, and safety were infringed upon so severely during months of extensive unapproved construction this summer that some felt compelled to leave. The new owner maintains that the aging complex requires renovations and justified management’s notifications to the tenants.