Listen to this article
Estimated 4 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The owner of the vacant building that caught fire earlier this week in Montreal, forcing the closure of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, was handed two infraction notices related to its upkeep in recent years.
Hugo Bourgoin, a city spokesperson, said the building at 1600 De Lorimier was the subject of 12 inspections by the Ville-Marie borough since 2023, most recently on Dec. 22, 2025.
The two warnings “were served to remind the owner of their obligations regarding vacant buildings,” Bourgoin said in an email.
Montreal police are trying to determine the cause of the fire, which broke out late Tuesday. The building has since been demolished, and the bridge reopened to traffic in both directions.
Investigators will examine security footage of the area, a police spokesperson said. Police could not confirm whether there had been squatters in the building, but a sniffer dog was brought to the site on Thursday.
Development planned
The historic property at the foot of the bridge was originally home to a soap factory. It was slated to be redeveloped into housing by the owners, the Montreal-based real estate company Bertone.
The federal government announced in March it was investing $108 million in the 304-unit project through its Apartment Construction Loan Program.
The company didn’t immediately return a request for comment Thursday regarding the infraction notices.
On Wednesday, Briana Bertone, the company’s director of legal affairs and corporate strategy, said the project had been put on hold while the situation is being assessed.
“As the investigation is ongoing and several elements remain unknown, we do not have any additional information to share at this time,” Bertone said, adding that the company is co-operating with authorities.
Vacant buildings pose greater risks
Vacant buildings in Montreal have been the site of a number of fires in recent years. Data obtained by CBC News by access-to-information request showed that 11 of the 80 serious fires (between three- and five-alarm) in greater Montreal, between 2020 and the end of 2023, were in vacant buildings.
Under former mayor Valérie Plante, the city passed a bylaw in 2023 that made registering vacant buildings mandatory for property owners. However, the bylaw, which imposes fines on owners that do not upkeep their buildings, is still not in force.
On Jan. 21, the old Barsalou soap factory near the Jacques-Cartier Bridge went up in flames. The heritage building had been sitting empty for years. The fire is raising questions about how Montreal can better protect old buildings and ensure property owners take care of them.
The rules for vacant buildings went into effect Jan. 1, 2026, but a spokesperson said the city is giving property owners a grace period before imposing fines for failing to comply.
Among the requirements are:
- Maintaining an interior temperature of at least 10 C to prevent freezing, mould and structural degradation.
- Ensure that the building is sealed off and protected from intrusion.
- Provide exterior lighting for access to the building.
Fines range from $1,000 to $40,000. For a historic building, the fine could be up to $250,000.
Chris Ross, president of the Montreal firefighters’ association, said vacant buildings are not only more prone to fires, they also pose unique dangers to his crews.
He explained that while squatters may be trapped inside, rescuing them is perilous because the buildings are often boarded up and structurally unstable.
“We tend to do a lot of those fires from what we call a defensive operation,” he said in an interview.
“We tend to attack the fire from outside of the building because every time you go into the fire, there’s a risk.”
