Tenants who were evicted from a North End Winnipeg apartment building can go home after the province says a a notice of violations was served to the building owner Friday.
The Residential Tenancies Branch has issued orders locking out the owner of the building at 285 College Ave.
“Today, investigators with the RTB served the landlord with notice of the violations that he’s committed,” a provincial spokesperson told CBC News Friday afternoon.
Tenants were given cash and told to immediately vacate last weekend after a notice saying the building was shut down was posted at the front entrance. The province later responded, saying the evictions were illegal.
Marion Willis, executive director of the outreach organization St. Boniface Street Links, said RTB is changing the locks and keys.
People will be happy to return home, but Willis said it’s bittersweet because their living spaces will not be how they once were, she said.
“Sweet that they get to go back, bitter that they will be unlocking their doors to see all their furniture, all their possessions are gone,” said Willis.
The provincial spokesperson said Winnipeg police are also on scene, and the province is working on putting out more information to the public as the situation develops. Security has also been hired to let tenants move back in this weekend, the spokesperson said.
The province also says more orders or charges are possible.