Frustrations remain for displaced Westcourt Place residents, especially during COVID-19 pandemic

Residents of the Westcourt Place high rise in downtown Windsor remain unable to enter their homes, more than five months after an accidental electrical fire in the building's parking garage. 

The fire displaced approximately 200 residents across 166 units, as well as 30 commercial tenants, including Alexis Hand and her boyfriend, who have been living with Hand's mother since the blaze on Nov. 12.

In March, Westcourt Place residents were told to remove their belongings from their units, due to smoke damage. When Hand contacted Westcourt Place building manager Vickie Heyden about arranging for a unit inspection, Hand was told that inspectors couldn't visit the apartment without approval from Westcourt's lawyers.

"That was about two weeks ago, and I still haven't heard back," Hand said. "Now we're at a standstill, because with this whole COVID-19 thing and everything happening, we realize that this is probably going to delay getting back into our apartment even longer."

Hand said she's currently living out of little more than a duffel bag, with enough clothes to last her a week. 

Also delayed is a $35 million class-action lawsuit launched on behalf of Westcourt residents by Strosberg Sasso Sutts, which has been temporarily stalled because Ontario courts have dramatically slowed down hearings as a means of preventing the spread of coronavirus. 

"The courts are closed and as such the motion isn't proceeding and it will be rescheduled in due course if required," wrote Sharon Strosberg, a partner at Strosberg Sasso Sutts, in an email to CBC News.

A hearing in the class-action suit was supposed to take place on Monday, but "counsel for the plaintiffs and defendants agreed that the scheduled hearing on this matter was not 'urgent', and consented to its delay," wrote Westcourt Place spokesperson Danny Roth, in a separate email to CBC News.

Roth said that residents looking to move their belongings have "limited access" to the building, explaining that residents must first seek permission to enter their units "under strict social distancing protocols and best practices for health and wellness."

There was a lot of contact in November and December ... and then it kind of lulled a little bit.- Alexis Hand, Westcourt Place resident

"Despite the closure of the building and existing stay-at-home direction from government, work to repair the building began prior to the outbreak and is therefore authorized to continue," wrote Roth, adding that reconstruction work on the building remains ongoing, but that challenges brought on by COVID-19 have "likely added months to our reconstruction schedule."

For Hand and her boyfriend, however, frustrations remain, especially because they feel communication between Westcourt Place and residents has left a lot to be desired. 

"It's not too often anymore," she said. "There was a lot of contact in November and December going back and forth … and then it kind of lulled a little bit."

Hand said Heyden has been the only point of contact for Westcourt Place.

"We don't have any contact for their lawyers directly, for the building owner," she said. "It's just our building manager … so she'll then relay the messages to the owners, to their lawyers."

"It's very frustrating and it's very difficult."