'The land is now crumbled in': Winnipeg resident concerned over stalled infill development

One St. James resident is voicing his concerns after a stalled infill development has left an open excavation site next to his house.

According to Brian Lawrence, the site hasn’t been worked on in months. He noted that recent rainfall has started to make the walls cave in, and he’s concerned about possible damage to his home and property.

“In September they excavated to build a house. I guess something fell through and another buyer bought it,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.

“Basically, the land is now crumbled in.”

He added that he’s concerned about his property’s foundation.

“I need to make sure that our family is going to be safe in this house in this situation,” Lawrence said.

The St. James resident said he believes the new construction company must take responsibility, but said it’s failing to do so.

“I just feel like the construction company that takes over, it’s immediately their responsibility when they put their name on the fence,” he said.

Now, Lawrence is calling on the city to step up its infill enforcement.

“I think more has to be done,” he said.

“When a permit is pulled and it sits vacant, I think they should be doing random inspections to ensure steps are being taken to ensure the safety

The City of Winnipeg told CTV News Winnipeg that housing permits and timelines are enforced by Winnipeg’s zoning and permit branch. It added that all infill development applicants have to hire an engineer to ensure adjacent structures are not compromised as a result of the new constructions.

Winnipeggers concerned about construction site safety can contact 311 to ask for an inspection.

Lawrence said he contacted Workplace Health and Safety, and the site is being investigated.