Residents allowed back into Birchwood Terrace, more than 6 months after evacuation

It’s the news that displaced residents of a Winnipeg apartment building have been waiting to hear for months. They are being given the green light to go back home.

It was back on May 9 when those living in the Birchwood Terrace apartment block on Portage Avenue were told to get out due to unsafe conditions.

But the city says the property owner has met the conditions and the requirements of an order that was given out when the building was considered unsafe and a full occupancy permit has been issued allowing tenants to come back.

An inspection earlier this year uncovered severe deterioration to columns supporting the building.

In a statement, the city says “The Planning Property & Development department advised the property owner of 2440 Portage Avenue that they met the conditions and requirements of the Mitigate Unsafe Condition Order, and issued them a full occupancy permit on December 17, 2024.”

Debby Ross is one of the residents forced out, and as happy she is to hear this news, she’s concerned about the state of her home after a recent visit.

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“I was there last week and it still looks pretty dumpy there going towards our apartments,” Ross said. “My apartment is a very bad shamble.”

She says getting this news a week before Christmas has put her into shock. She’s been living in a hotel since July 1 and has been approved to stay there until the end of the month. She is hoping to have her stay extended so she can take her time moving back into Birchwood Terrace, but has yet to hear if that is the case.

Ross says they were treated very poorly during their time away from home.

“I know for the last couple of months, when they’ve extended our stay before, it’s been right the day before, we don’t know until the day before,” Ross said.

“Now that’s not right, we should know the week before, or even a month before.”

For other residents like Dez Kappel, it was a roller-coaster six months hitting him hard in the wallet.

“I’m estimating it’s probably $12-15,ooo,” Kappel said on what his time away cost him. “Just to get my life restarted and damage deposits and get back on my feet after having to survive for about three months with just three bags of clothes. It was a real financial shock.”