Edmonton apartment building boarded up after evacuation order from the city

The entrance to the residential units at 10603 107 Ave. is boarded up on Dec. 24, 2024 after the city ordered the building to be evacuated on Dec. 23. (Darcy Seaton/CTV News Edmonton)

An Edmonton apartment building that was evacuated for safety reasons on Monday now sits boarded up.

A CTV News Edmonton camera spotted one man trying unsuccessfully to kick his way through the boards covering the doors on Tuesday morning, but otherwise there was little activity in the area.

A total of 60 residents, including 25 children, were living in the building at 10603 107 Ave.

Harshandeep Singh, 20, was working as a security guard at the apartment when he was fatally shot on Dec. 6.

He had only been on the job three days.

Another man suffered non-life threatening injuries in a shooting in the building two weeks before Singh's death.

The city said Monday more security concerns have come to light since Singh's killing which led officials to conclude it was not a safe environment for tenants.

Additionally, the city said the building has been the subject of numerous citations from Alberta Health Services over the past five years.

The city said residents would not be allowed to return to their units until all safety issues have been fixed, adding the timeline is unknown.

An Alberta Health Services report from November 2023 detailed needles, drug paraphernalia, human feces, urine and garbage in the common areas of the building.

There are currently nine open AHS work or closure orders in place for the building.

AHS ordered the landlord to close three of the 36 residential suites in the building in March after numerous safety issues were uncovered by inspectors.

The closure orders remain in place.

With only hours until Christmas day, social agencies are now assisting the remaining tenants with finding accommodations.

Homeward Trust says it has been working with the city's Residential Inspection Safety Compliance Team (RISC) on a housing initiative to support residents even before the evacuation order was issued.

"Throughout December, Homeward Trust has assisted five households from this property with housing relocation, including individuals and families with children," the organization wrote in a statement to CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday.

"Due to the closure and displacement, Homeward Trust housing workers prioritize housing support for those who have been removed and are unable to secure housing on their own or are at risk of homelessness."

The Canadian Red Cross says it is providing accommodations and food for eight families forced out of the building.

CTV News Edmonton reached out to the city about the status of the evacuation.

The city said it would not be in a position to provide additional answers until next week.

A spokesperson for the provincial ministry of seniors, community and social services refused to comment on the evacuation, calling the closure of the building a result of "municipal bylaw infractions."