Halifax tenant finds apartment building demolished while awaiting tenancy ruling

A Halifax woman is left without a home after her apartment building began demolition while she was still awaiting a decision from the Residential Tenancies Program. Shailagh Benteau, who had lived in her apartment for seven years, watched crews demolish the building last week. She alleges that while the landlord, RC Jane, informed residents of demolition plans in February, there was no mutual agreement to end tenancies. Benteau opted to let the tenancy process unfold, expecting a ruling within 14 days of a June 3 hearing. However, demolition work commenced before the ruling was delivered on June 12. The subsequent order stated she was entitled to remain in her apartment until September 30, a reality now impossible as her home has been reduced to debris. Benteau is the sole remaining tenant out of 24 units; a demolition permit was issued by the Halifax Regional Municipality on March 24. Members of Nova Scotia ACORN, a tenant advocacy group, rallied outside the Westerwald Street building, criticizing the landlord's actions and demanding better protections for tenants. They argue that landlords are undermining the decisions of the tenancy board by taking matters into their own hands. Community legal workers note an increase in such cases, attributing it to a perceived lack of consequences for landlords who proceed with demolition or renovations without securing vacant possession or respecting tenancy rulings. Landlords typically face requirements to pay one to three months' rent for evictions related to renovations or demolition, with potential additional penalties for rule violations. Benteau is now facing the challenge of finding new housing.

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I can’t believe this is happening as I’m looking. I was living in my unit. And they just started demolishing it.