Displaced Westcourt Place residents no longer being offered accommodations by building owner

Westcourt Place residents relying on hotel and motel rooms covered by the building's owner have been told they have until Thursday to find new accommodations.

"We have no idea when the apartments will be available for you to move back into," reads an excerpt from a letter addressed to residents. "We will advise you as soon as we have this information."

The building owner also promised to refund paid rent "for the portion of the time" that residents have been unable to live in their apartments.

More than 200 Westcourt Place residents across 166 units — as well approximately 30 commercial tenants and staff with the Provincial Offences court— were displaced by a fire that began in the building's parking garage on the morning of Nov. 12. 

After an investigation, the Ontario fire marshal determined that the flame was caused by an accidental electrical failure. 

Displaced residents were initially provided accommodation at the WFCU Centre, later being provided temporary accommodations at motels and hotels throughout the city. 

Pavel Zhavoronkov, a tool and mold designer who lives in Westcourt Place, was one of the residents relying on accommodations paid for by Westcourt Place's building owner. 

Speaking with reporters on Thursday, he said he will now move in with a friend, adding that it's still unclear when he'll be able to move back home.

"This is the main problem we are talking about: Westcourt doesn't provide any information to us," he said. "What we heard from day one is just 'Be patient, wait a little bit, we are doing everything we can.'"

Zhavoronkov said some residents have been forced to leave Windsor to find accommodations.

"They moved away [from] their homes, from their families," he said. "They can't work, they can't do anything."

He added that Westcourt Place's building owner should continue paying for accommodations.

"It was obviously their negligence to maintain the electric grid," said Zhavoronkov. 

Aline Khoury, a Westcourt Place resident currently staying with her brother, said residents have been holding weekly meetings to discuss the situation. 

A third meeting is scheduled on Dec. 7 at the University of Windsor School of Creative Arts on Freedom Way. 

In a Thursday Facebook post, Westcourt Place building manager Vickie Heyden informed residents that "We are still waiting for results from the air quality test, which will give us a better indication of a time frame regarding the next steps that need to be taken before occupancy can reoccur."

Electricity — which was previously shut off throughout the entire building before being restored in public areas thanks to a generator — is now available throughout Westcourt Place.

Running water was restored on Nov. 20. 

Heyden previously told CBC News in November that accommodations were no longer being offered, but confirmed on Thursday that the offer was extended until Dec. 5.

Downtown Mission ready to house displaced residents

Ron Dunn, executive director of the Downtown Mission in Windsor, said his organization was informed by the city that some Westcourt Place residents might need to rely on the shelter for temporary housing. 

"As far as we're concerned, we would welcome them like we would welcome anybody else," said Dunn. "So we are prepared."

He said any Westcourt Place residents looking for shelter at the Downtown Mission should come to the 875 Ouellette Ave. between 9 p.m. and midnight.

"It's on a first-come-first-serve basis, which could be problematic given the weather," said Dunn, adding that the Mission wasn't at full capacity on Wednesday. "So we do have some spaces left."

Dunn explained that the Downtown Mission can accommodate "men, women, youth and families."

Though the Mission has 103 beds available overall, Dunn said the number of residents who come to the organization could affect spacing. 

"If we had a large family show up, that would take up our youth [pod]," he said. "Our youth and family pod are the same pod. So we'd have to do some rearranging, but we do have the second floor available at 875 Ouellette Ave."

When Dunn spoke with CBC News on Thursday afternoon, he said he wasn't aware of any Westcourt Place residents who had requested accommodation.

"If they come in, we're going to try and help them with housing like we would help everybody else who shows up," he said.