Pointe-Saint-Charles tenants ordered to leave 'risk to human life' apartment buildings, city says

An evacuation notice has left a group of Pointe-Saint-Charles tenants scrambling after it was determined the two apartment buildings they live in are a risk to human life, city spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said Saturday.

Tenants in the buildings owned by the same landlord — one on du Centre Street and another on Châteauguay Street — need to be vacant by February 22.

The emergency exits in both buildings present the biggest problem, Sabourin said. They don't conform with the city's bylaws, posing a risk to the tenants' lives.

"The fire department of the city has done the evaluations and this is a security matter," Sabourin said, adding that the risk of fire increases in winter.

Upon visiting the building, CBC News found an exit door at the back was partially open with snow and ice collecting on the ground and stairs leading to the door.

But a myriad of other problems, including rats, insects and squatters, have also been noted.

"We asked the landlord to fix the situation and we don't have any cooperation," Sabourin said.

The city said its been pursuing this landlord for seven years for different violations.

CBC News was unable to reach the landlord for comment.

City promises to assist tenants in finding new dwelling

Having only three weeks to find a new home is normal in situations like these, Sabourin said, because people's lives are at risk.

Still, he promised that the city's municipal housing office, the Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal (OMHM), will assist each tenant in finding a suitable home as soon as possible.

"The city won't let anyone [be] homeless," he said. "We will accompany each tenant."

Stéphane Proulx, a lawyer at a Pointe-Saint-Charles legal aid office, has seen issues with these buildings before.

One of the tenants at the Du Centre Street apartment building reached out to Proulx for legal aid, but Proulx said the tenants have a few options now.

One is to make a priority application for low-rent social housing, or ask a Quebec superior court judge to grant a delay so tenants have more time to find a new home.