Dirty condo complex owners hit with fines

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Dirty condo complex owners hit with fines

Archie McLean, The Edmonton Journal

Published: Thursday, July 06, 2006

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=1dc79eb9-

63cb-4035-a790-8078f42333b0 & k=41195

Health inspectors found problems for 31/2 years

EDMONTON - The owners of a leaky, mouldy and dirty condo complex in

Redwater were fined more than $25,000 Wednesday for repeatedly

violating the Public Health Act.

Capital Health first heard about the property in October 2003, when

they got a complaint from a pregnant woman who said water was

getting into her suite. She said there was mould and mushrooms

growing in her condo.

On their first visit, health inspectors did find mould and mildew in

the suite, as well as windows that didn't close properly.

Over the next 31/2 years, health inspectors returned 12 more times.

They found problems such as poor air quality, lint and dirt

accumulation in the laundry room, a leaky roof, fire alarms that

didn't work and even dead birds and mouse droppings in the

stairwells. There were families with children living in the building

at the time.

After a series of warnings, the owners failed to make the necessary

repairs and the entire building was declared unfit for human

habitation.

On Wednesday in provincial court, the owners of the building pleaded

guilty to a litany of charges under the Public Health Act. Judge

Harry Bridges accepted a joint sentencing submission from the Crown

and the defence.

" These deficiencies are very serious, " he said. " They involve health

matters and are very severe. "

Dan Corns, who owns the building with his associated companies, was

fined more than $15,550. Trant and his wife Theresa each

owned a suite and were each fined $2,300. Truhamchuk and

Reginald Reid were also fined $2,300 for the suites they owned.

Corn said he didn't realize the charges were so serious. He said he

was in mourning for his father, who died February 2003 and let

maintenance of the building slip. " It kind of took the wind out of

my sails for the period of about one year, " he said.

Corns also said he had trouble finding contractors who would do the

necessary work at a reasonable price.

The other owners said they bought the property as an investment and

weren't aware of the responsibilities that came with it.

" We've learned a very expensive lesson, " Trant said.

There is nobody living in the building now. Rob O'Neill, who

prosecuted the case for Capital Health, said repairs are currently

being done to make it habitable again.

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