More fines for property owners of vacant building fires

Fire crews fight a house fire in the 500 block of Ross Avenue on April 17, 2023, the fourth fire at the home since April 8. (Source: Jamie Dowsett/CTV News)

The number of owners that have been fined after vacant buildings burned down in Winnipeg has climbed.

The latest data from the city shows 17 invoices have been sent to owners from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service for fire response services on vacant properties since the start of March.

At the beginning of May, CTV News Winnipeg reported nine fines had been issued and only one amount – worth $4,778.55 – had been paid in full. The largest amount on the list was $103,772.55.

The 17 fines now total $454,092.27, which includes the tax. The one amount of $4,778.55 is still the only one to have been paid in full.

However, the city did note in an email that payment plans have been set up for several of the invoices.

So far, from the beginning of January to the end of May, there have been 58 vacant building fires in Winnipeg.

In 2022, 84 vacant building fires were reported.

In January, city council voted to make building owners responsible for paying the total cost of the fire response at a vacant property.