Health hazard order closes Winnipeg's Windsor Hotel, forcing out 20 residents
Residents were originally told they had until April to find somewhere else to live
A downtown Winnipeg hotel was closed under a provincial health hazard order on Friday, forcing about 20 long-term residents to find other places to live.
The province ordered the Windsor Hotel on Garry Street closed after an inspection earlier this month found significant issues at the 120-year-old building, including "filth, accumulation of dirt, [and] walls, ceilings, floors and plumbing fixtures in disrepair," according to a statement from the provincial government.
The inspection also found badly damaged doors, "with some barely hanging on their hinges," as well as broken windows and substandard heating throughout the 43-unit building.
All of the hotel's tenants were relocated, according to the province's statement, which was not attributed to any official.
Social agencies, including the North End Community Renewal Corporation, helped some residents find new homes and others get connected with social assistance.
"Most found alternate accommodations and some had to go to a shelter until more permanent housing was found," the statement said.
The hotel was put up for sale earlier this year, and in February, its residents received eviction notices telling them to leave by the end of April.
The building's new owners are working with the previous owner to make sure the hotel property is secure, the province said.
While the Windsor has a colourful history — it's hosted many legendary artists, including silent film star Charlie Chaplin, whose image appears on a mural on the hotel's exterior — the 120-year-old building's future is now uncertain.
The Windsor Hotel's closing is part of an ongoing trend of disappearing low-income housing in Winnipeg, including hotels that serve as long-term housing.
A 2022 report from McMaster University found the city lost more than 24,000 units with rents under $750 between 2011 and 2021.