A downtown Windsor federal building has closed due to safety issues and the MP for Windsor West wants some answers.
Brian Masse said the workers and the public deserve some answers and is calling for an independent inquiry into the evaluation, renovation, and inspection of the rehab work done at 441 University Avenue West.
Masse said more than 300 Canada Revenue Agency workers are either working from their homes or other locations because the building has been deemed unsafe. He added the problems include a possible collapse of the second floor despite a recent $10.8 million renovation. The renovations, he said, began in 2017 and were completed earlier this year.
The workers were previously relocated from the 86-year-old Paul Martin Building on Ouellete Avenue and Pitt Street because that building is also deteriorating and is causing health and safety concerns.
Masse wrote a letter to the Minister of Public Services, who oversees issues like this one, asking for an inquiry.
"The need to ensure federal buildings are safe is your department's responsibility," said Masse. "An inquiry would be able to reveal the deficiencies that occurred in this case and be able to prevent similar situations from arising in the future."
The MP added the former Canadian Forces recruitment and Veterans' Affairs building needs to be properly examined and the public needs to know if all the project requirements were evaluated in a sufficient manner for the complete rehabilitation of the building. Masse also wants the construction work to be reviewed to see if it meets current standards and building codes and wants the safety inspections investigated to determine how they listed this building as safe.
