Following a push for enforcement at what advocates argue is one of the most notoriously neglected rental buildings in Toronto, the company listed as the owner of 500 Dawes Rd. and a director have been sentenced after being convicted under Ontario law.
Havcare Investments Inc., the registered owners of 500 Dawes Rd., as well as Carolyn Krebs, a director at the firm, were sentenced in a Provincial Offences Court on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by Toronto Fire Services, the court imposed a fine of $300,000 on Havecare Investments Inc. and a separate fine of $20,000 on Krebs, plus a mandatory 25 per cent victim fine surcharge in connection with charges laid under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.
The charges were laid after fire safety requirements were not met at 500 Dawes Rd.
Fire Chief Jim Jessop said the sentence highlights the importance of property owners meeting their responsibilities under the Ontario Fire Code.
“Compliance with the Ontario Fire Code is not optional, it is a legal obligation that exists to safeguard lives, property, and the safety of responding firefighters. When these requirements are not met, the consequences can be serious and far-reaching,” he said in a release.
“Property owners are responsible for ensuring their buildings meet fire safety standards at all times. Where there is a failure to comply, Toronto Fire Services will take appropriate enforcement action to hold those responsible accountable and reduce the risk to residents and communities.”
Krebs was also hit with $200,000 worth of fines in April by the Ontario Court of Justice for failing to comply with a 2024 property standards order in relation to the same property. That decision was in addition to numerous fines and fees dating back to 2017.
In addition, the landlord was convicted under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act in connection with safety violations at another property she owns at 608 Dawes Rd. last month. The sentence carried a fine of $120,000 and 15 days in custody, plus a mandatory 25 per cent victim fine surcharge.
The building at 500 Dawes Rd. became infamous for what tenants described as decades’ worth of repair backlogs and thousands of complaints related to numerous pests, crumbling ceilings, deteriorating balconies, unsafe conditions and poor maintenance.
The extensive problems prompted a visit by Mayor Olivia Chow and forced the City of Toronto to oversee urgent repair work earlier this year after the City moved to strengthen its enforcement tools.
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