‘I am asking you to please leave’: Langford mayor provides update on RidgeView Place

CHEK

Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson said moving forward, the city will be working with the province to provide emergency relief for each unit that has been displaced.

The City of Langford said that moving forward, it will be working with the province to provide relief for each unit that has been displaced. Costs incurred for accommodations, transportation and food will come from the provincial Emergency Support Services (ESS) program.

Residents were told Thursday that they must visit the ESS website and register to receive help. The program usually provides support to British Columbians that have had to leave their homes in the wake of a fire, flood, earthquake, or other emergency, and offers assistance for up to 72 hours. In this case tenants are being told they will receive a bit more.

“We’re providing temporary supports to Ridgeview Place residents, including lodging for five days, as well as funding for a Community Navigator to help people secure the supports and resources available to them,” said Bowinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness.

Wednesday, the company that operates the building offered some help as well.

READ MORE: RidgeView Place tenants insurance deny claims; Centurion offers additional funds

Goodmanson said he isn’t sure whether it will take a month or a year for the repairs to take place, and it still remains unclear what the timeline will look like for tenants hoping to see the building be deemed safe for occupancy.

“If people want to stay, that’s going to between the building owner and them,” he added. “I am asking you to please leave, the sooner you leave, the sooner we can begin investigating this and get work done to get repairs going.”

“We have to trust that when an engineer says vacate a building, it means vacate a building.”

RELATED: Who should cover emergency costs for Langford’s RidgeView Place tenants?

And vacating is exactly what some residents are doing.

Nathan Hale lives in the building, but on Thursday he was one of many getting ready to leave the condemned structure. While loading his belongings into a moving van from outside RidgeView place, he told CHEK News that he’s moving back to his family’s home in Sooke.

But, despite the safety risks, he says not everyone is leaving.

“A couple of people told me when I was moving my things out that they were not moving,” Hale said.

CHEK News went to Centurion’s local office, hoping to speak with a representative, to no avail.

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