Tenants of the RidgeView Place building in Langford who were told to leave the building weeks ago because it was deemed unsafe are growing increasingly frustrated by a lack of answers.
While the city held an information session on Monday, many say their questions went unanswered.
Former tenant J.C. Roberge is still moving his belongings out of the apartment building. Despite being told to vacate, he and other tenants still don't know what makes the building unsafe.
"We have no idea," he said Tuesday. "There's no clarification whatsoever. Even when we asked yesterday – zero clarification," he said.
That frustration boiled over at the meeting at Langford city hall on Monday.
Displaced residents were trying to get answers about what the nature and severity of the defects that triggered a request for the building to be evacuated.
"[The residents] don't know if there's cracks in the foundation, they don't know if the thing's going to implode on them, they have no idea," said Langford resident Tyler Sampson at the meeting.
"But they're living in that building in what you're saying is danger, and you haven't released the reason," he said.
Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson says the reason for the evacuation is because of issues related to the structural design of the building, and because of a lack of evidence that a comprehensive review by the engineer had been done.
As for a specific reason for the danger, however, Goodmanson says "that's not a question we have an answer to."
2ND EVACUATION
When the building was evacuated last month, it was the second time the structure had its occupancy permit revoked.
The first time it was revoked was in December 2019. Building owner Centurion says it spent millions of dollars to remediate the building, and an occupancy permit was restored in April 2022.
But in April of this year, the city says it received a report from a third-party engineer saying that the building was still unsafe.
The municipality says it's up to the building owner and structural engineer of record to ensure the building designs are up to the BC Building Code and standards of the EGBC.
"When the structural engineer of record submits authenticated engineering designs, they are confirming that their plans meet the B.C. Building Code," said the city.
"This is the 'Professional Reliance Model' that virtually all municipalities in British Columbia rely upon."
SLOW MOVE OUT
About a week ago, Centurion notified residents that it had approved a controlled move out of people's belongings. It also advised residents that no more than 30 people could be in the building at one time.
Tenants, however, say that capacity max isn't being enforced – or explained – leaving them confused and scared.
"You know something [if you're telling people] only 30 people can go in there," said Roberge. "Tell us, we need to know."
- RELATED: 'Unbelievably upsetting': Residents unsure of what's next and who's to blame after Langford highrise evacuated
Centurion did not respond to questions Tuesday, and the mayor was unavailable for comment.
Political scientist Dan Reeve at Camosun College says the lack of answers is an unwelcome look for a council facing a crisis.
"From the initial PR perspective, it's not good," he said. "They look like they're kind of withholding information for reasons that aren't quite clear, or they simply don't know what's going on."
Either way, former and current tenants are anxious to know from anyone why the building is considered so dangerous.
