Montréal intends to tighten the screws on the owners of vacant buildings in order to curb the deterioration of unoccupied buildings. The owners will have to register their empty building each year in the register created by the City and ensure its maintenance, failing which, they will be exposed to hefty fines.
The City wanted to dust off its building maintenance by-law in effect since 2007, but the proposed changes were so significant that it decided to develop a new by-law.
Montreal has approximately 800 vacant buildings, 150 of which are of heritage interest. Presented Thursday, the new by-law will oblige owners to register their unoccupied building each year and to ensure the good condition of seven components, namely the exterior envelope, exterior elements, structure, openings, valves non-return as well as plumbing and heating equipment.
The owners will also be required to keep the heating to a minimum of 10 degrees. In the case of heritage buildings, the owners will have to make a statement indicating the condition of their building. For owners who neglect their property or contravene the regulations, heavier fines will be imposed, up to $250,000 in the case of heritage buildings.
“In Montreal, there are owners who maintain their buildings well, even if the stock is aging. But for those who want to let them go, we have news for them: we have new regulations, they have teeth and we will apply them,” said Robert Beaudry, head of urban planning on the executive committee, during the meeting. a press conference with his colleague responsible for culture and heritage on the executive committee, Ericka Alneus.
The by-law will also apply to municipal buildings and those belonging to para-municipal corporations, such as the Municipal Housing Office (OMH), which has several barricaded buildings, but the City will not be able to fine itself, said Mr Beaudry.
The City has not determined the rates that will be charged to register the buildings in the City register, but the amount will not have a “deterrent” objective and will be used more to cover administrative costs.
The new by-law would have given the City more leverage to crack down on the owner of the Jaeger building, whose instability has forced the closure of a section of rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, in the heart of downtown city, says Robert Beaudry.
The regulations also aim to counter the negligence of certain owners who voluntarily let their heritage building deteriorate until the City orders their demolition given their decrepitude, explained Mr. Beaudry.
The boroughs will be called upon to apply the new by-law, but according to the elected official, it will not be necessary for them to hire more inspectors. “This regulation does not add charges. It really comes to give more opportunities, ”says Robert Beaudry.
Several steps remain to be completed before the new regulation can enter into force. Consultations are planned. The regulations are expected to come into effect in early 2024.
Opposition leader Aref Salem is not convinced of the effectiveness of the new rules. “The regulations, we already had trouble applying them. We come to improve it today without giving the necessary tools, ”he lamented. According to him, more inspectors will be required.
In addition, this regulation does not respond to problematic cases, such as that of the building in Old Montreal which was the scene of a fire last March, which cost the lives of seven people.