'We're stuck': Winnipeg family's renovation stalled by permit issues
A St. Norbert family hoped their basement renovations would be wrapping up by midsummer, but a series of permit-related issues have stalled the project.
The framing is up, the water is running, and the lights are on; however, renovations in Ryan Kirkness' basement are at a standstill.
"Our renovation has been on hold since mid-April, so we were hoping this was all, not all, but a good portion was going to be done for summer,” Kirkness said.
Kirkness bought the St. Norbert bungalow in 2005.
Now, with his two daughters reaching their teenage years, Kirkness decided it was the perfect time to renovate the basement.
"Two bedrooms for the girls to come downstairs, redo the laundry room, and the big thing would be a new washroom,” he said.
In April, Kirkness sent in permit applications for a basement renovation, including plumbing and electrical.
He was also aware he would probably need a waterway permit due to the property’s distance from the Red River.
"The waterway permit is made to protect the riverbanks, the flow of it, that type of thing,” Kirkness explained.
However, Kirkness was informed he needed an additional permit to meet code --- an issue compounded by flood protection requirements.
One issue has to do with the need for basement-level bedroom windows that must be large enough to exit in the event of an emergency.
To meet those regulations, Kirkness would need a costly engineer’s report to show expanded windows would not increase flood risk to the property. By his estimation that report would add thousands to the renovation cost.
He argued, if flood waters did reach the house – which hasn’t happened since 1997 --- it wouldn’t matter what kind of windows were in place.
"If the water's coming on the flood, it doesn't matter if it’s this high or this high. It's going to come in,” Kirkness said.
In a statement, the city said if proposed work falls within the floodway fringe area, then homeowners are responsible for meeting the requirements of the designated floodway fringe area regulation.
“The city is not obligated to approve permits where requirements for floodproofing have not been met. This protects the dwelling, neighbouring buildings, and future homeowners,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier this month, Kirkness withdrew the structural permit application for the window change, but is still waiting for the other permits to be issued.
"As for now, we're stuck. Our total renovation's on hold,” he said.
Kirkness said the whole situation has been a disappointing learning experience.
"I was doing it with the permits. I was doing it the right way, and so many people have always told me, the city's so tough to deal with. Just go do it on your own. Don't bother. And I was hoping to say, ‘Nope, it actually worked out really well.’ I can't,” he said.
Because he withdrew the window permit, Kirkness said the bedrooms will now be used as office space.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.