Owner and director of East York apartment building fined for not complying with fire safety requirements

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow speaks during a May 4 news conference outside 500 Dawes Rd.

The company that owns a problematic apartment building in East York along with one of its directors have been fined following a conviction under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.

On Tuesday, Havcare Investments Inc., the registered owner of 500 Dawes Rd., along with Carolyn Krebs, one of its directors, were sentenced in Provincial Offences Court.

The court imposed a fine of $300,000 to Havcare Investments Inc. Krebs, meanwhile, must pay a fine of $20,000 plus a mandatory 25 per cent victim fine surcharge.

Toronto Fire Services said these charges were brought forward following non-compliance with fire safety requirements.

“The outcome underscores the importance of property owners meeting their responsibilities under the Ontario Fire Code and helps reinforce the role these standards play in keeping residents and communities safe,” the service said in a news release.

Fire Chief Jim Jessop underlined that 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 the 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 previously sentenced to jail time, fined

On May 26, Krebs, the building’s landlord, was sentenced to 15 days in jail by the Provincial Offences Court and ordered to pay a $120,000 fine as well as a mandatory 25 per cent victim fine surcharge after failing to comply with fire safety requirements in regards to her residential property at 608 Dawes Rd., which is also in East York.

These consequences came following after a conviction under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.

At that time, Toronto Fire noted that her other building at 500 Dawes Rd. was also currently subject to ongoing enforcement action due to fire safety concerns.

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“(This outcome) reinforces that property owners have a clear responsibility to maintain their buildings in compliance with fire safety requirements and will be held accountable when those standards are not met,” Jessop said in a previous release.

“Compliance with the Ontario Fire Code is a legal requirement, and ongoing inspections and proper maintenance of fire protection systems are essential to reducing risk and protecting residents and responding firefighters.”