Boarded Up Stadacona Apartments Has Had Break-Ins
It may look to be boarded up tighter than a drum but that hasn’t stopped an unknown person or persons from breaking into the now evacuated Stadacona Apartments.
Located at the southeast corner of Stadacona Street West and 1st Avenue NW the Stadacona Street Apartments were evacuated by order of the Moose Jaw Fire Department (MJFD) in early October 2023.
The reason for the evacuation order was various infractions of fire safety regulations and no proper fire escape for residents.
MOOSE JAW POLICE SERVICE, MOOSE JAW FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SOCIAL WORKERS ATTENDED TO THE STADACONA STREET APARTMENTS TO INSPECT THE BUILDING in october - MJ INDEPENDENt file PHOTO
According to documents obtained by MJ Independent through a Freedom Of Information (FOI) request there has been at least two successful attempts to illegally enter the building by a person or persons unknown after the building was boarded up and secured.
The relevance of the break-ins were real fears that someone might commit arson and “burn the building down” a source at City Hall told MJ Independent.
The source requested to remain anonymous because all contact with the media must go through and the City’s communications department and they feared discipline.
According to the documents one of the break ins happened in October and the other break in happened in December.
Text of email - source FOI
According to an October 5th, 2023 email there has been an unauthorized entry into the building.
“Eng 1 (Engine One) attended and assisted Police in a search of the building. I don't believe they found anyone but people had been in the building” the email read.
In an October 5, 2023 email from MJFD Chief Rod Montgomery to city manager Maryse Carmichael he advises her about the break-in but states the Stadacona Apartments don’t need to be reboarded up. See email below.
Email exchange about the break-in
As a result the MJFD did take additional efforts to secure the building to stop re-entry from the building’s courtyard by installing a diagonal fence.
Diagonal blue line where fencing was erected in the courtyard - source FOI
Despite the MJFD’s and City’s best efforts the FOI reveal there was an additional break-in at the Stadacona Apartments in December.
In a December 11th, 2023 email from MJFD Rod Montgomery to city manager Carmichael another break-in to the building is reported.
Montgomery stated the “day before(December 6*") and it was secure but sometime during the night somebody made entry into the basement area. The police were aware of this and had checked it during the evening.”
According to the FOI documents all utilities to the building have now been shutdown and it was hoped former residents would have had all of their belongings removed early in 2024.
It is unknown what the fate of the building will be.
The owner of the building is 102039311 Saskatchewan Ltd has so far remained quiet about plans for the building.
It should be noted the FOI requested documents running until December 15, 2023 and anything which may or may not have happened after that are not reflected in the release.