Edmonton apartment building where security guard was killed getting closer to reopening

An apartment building in Edmonton's Central McDougall neighbourhood, which was shut down in late 2024 after the killing of a security guard and multiple reported safety violations, could soon reopen to potential tenants.

The City of Edmonton told CBC News in a statement that the owner of the building located at 107th Avenue and 106th Street has met the city’s minimum requirements for reinstating the business licence through working with the city’s residential inspection safety compliance team. 

The city said the owner needs to comply with additional safety conditions to ensure the property meets minimum housing maintenance standards, relevant bylaws and business licence conditions.

On Dec. 6, 2024, Harshandeep Singh, a 20-year old security guard and international student, was fatally shot while patrolling the building by himself at night, after only a few days on the job.

Police had responded to a shooting at the building a month earlier.

The City of Edmonton issued an emergency order on Dec. 23, 2024, to shutter the residential part of the mixed-use building where the shootings occurred. 

The city cited escalating safety concerns putting residents and community at imminent risk.

The order displaced the building's 64 residents, some of whom were assisted by support workers to find alternative housing. 

Albert Health Services reports detailed concerns with living conditions in the building, which ranged from human feces and urine, used needles, drug paraphernalia, garbage and “a large red stain present” in the front entranceway.

CBC News has requested further comment from Van Vuong, the property’s owner, on the work being done. 

Ward O-day'min Coun. Anne Stevenson said work has been ongoing to address safety concerns. 

"I do think it's very unfortunate that things had to escalate to this point … before, you know, that step of closing down the business was taken," she said. 

“So I passed a motion last year asking city staff to come back with a new approach to our business licensing that would maybe lower that threshold, or just provide parameters so that we can hopefully prevent these tragedies from happening before they do.”

The city has not yet provided a timeline for when the building could reopen, noting that the residential inspection safety compliance team will look at the building once more and continue to monitor it and enforce any violations.