'I was really, really disappointed': City of Winnipeg will not waive $20K fees for Osborne Village arson victim

The owner of an Osborne Village convenience store – the site of a deadly arson – will have to pay $20,000 in fees if she wants to rebuild, after a motion for the city to axe the hefty bill failed at city hall.

Heather Shin, the owner of the store, says she is unsure of her next steps after what she says was a disappointing day.

"I was shocked and I was really, really disappointed," Shin told CTV News Thursday evening.

In August 2021, a blaze destroyed Shin's Osborne Village store and left the family dealing with tragic losses. Her 60-year-old sister-in-law who had been living above the store died as a result of the fire, and her nephew was also injured.

Shin had been planning to rebuild the store, which had been nonconforming under current city bylaws but held grandfather status. However, Shin was hit with $20,000 in city zoning and variance fees.

Coun. Sherri Rollins had put a motion before a city committee asking for the fees to be waived. The city's planning and property committee discussed the matter Thursday, resulting in a tied vote – meaning the motion to waive the fees dies.

Coun. Janice Lukes told the committee she was not in support of the motion to waive the fees, given the city's financial situation.

"We are here not to make easy decisions, we are here to make very difficult decisions, and I think of all these other properties that people own that have been set on fire, that have burned down their investments also," she said, adding she fears the city would be opening a 'Pandora's Box' if it were to waive the fees.

"I very much sympathize with the situation, but I also sympathize with the bigger picture of the city and the bigger picture for taxpayers."

Coun. Kevin Klein also voted against the motion, saying, "Unfortunately I think we have to take a practical approach, which is not provide any relief for this particular application."

Shin says she has other expenses on top of the $20,000 fees, which she fears may be too much.

"I don't think I can be able to afford doing that, so I have to think it over. I don't know how long it will take," she said.

Shin said she is considering her next steps, including starting a fundraiser in the community to help rebuild.

"I was actually worried thinking about the customers. They're patiently waiting for us to reopen," she said. "I had kind of half-and-half chance, but that's kind of gone." 

-with files from CTV News Winnipeg's Jeff Keele