Eviction notice 'embarrassing and shameful,' says SKG head

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig says the assertion made by its landlord that it has allowed the Anishinaabe Discovery Centre to fall into a state of disrepair — the basis for the school being slapped with an eviction notice — is a completely false allegation.      

The Indigenous post-secondary institution was in court Tuesday, where it sought an injunction to stop the school from being booted out of the relatively new, $11.9-million facility by Shingwauk Education Trust March 2.

The eviction — stemming from concerns over a leaking roof and faulty HVAC system — has since been put on hold by the court to allow the landlord to secure legal counsel and for an assessment of the building to take place.  

“It’s just ridiculous and it’s embarrassing that we are even talking about this,” said Dianne Roach, director of operations for Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig, speaking with SooToday Wednesday. “Everybody on the Shingwauk Education Trust board, for the past 40 years, has built Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig — has put their blood, sweat and tears into getting us to where we are — and for them to now evict us over false allegations of us letting the building fall into a state of disrepair is embarrassing and shameful.”

Although Shingwauk Education Trust has said the tenant is on the hook for remediation costs as per the lease agreement, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig contends that the leaking roof and issues with the building’s HVAC system were already present when staff began moving into the facility in November of 2020.      

“They’re basically saying it would probably be cheaper to rip out the HVAC system, because the wires lead nowhere. It’s a mess — every technician that they send here is blown away that the HVAC system is designed the way it is,” said Roach. “There’s multiple issues. The roof has always leaked — it doesn’t take away from the building or the safety of any tenants, but we do have buckets around the building in the springtime.”

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig took members of the local media for a tour of the Queen Street East facility Wednesday, where traces of water damage as a result of the leaking roof were seen on portions of the ceiling.  

But the single biggest issue with the building, Roach says, is the building’s HVAC system that has left staff without heat and air conditioning at different points since moving in. 

In 2021, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig paid out more than $28,000 for repairs to the HVAC system. But Roach says the issue remains unresolved to this day as the HVAC system continues to hemorrhage money. 

Contractors are currently conducting an assessment of the building's deficiencies at the court’s request, and so far, it’s not looking good.        

“They’re just doing an assessment of one area, and that’s already $4,000 that we’re looking at for this past week that they’ve been here,” said Roach. “This is an ongoing issue. Honestly, it’s just embarrassing.” 

Prior to Tuesday's court hearing, Shingwauk Education Trust President and Garden River First Nation Chief Andy Rickard told SooToday that portions of the lease related to upkeep and maintenance weren't being upheld by the tenant. 

"We feel that everything was in working condition,” said Rickard at the time. “In our agreement, what was signed upon, was that SKG would be responsible for ensuring that these things were taken care of, so that’s how that relationship worked.”

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig says it has disclosed a sizable amount of documentation to the court to show that the school has been attempting to contact Shingwauk Education Trust (SET) with regards to building deficiencies at the Anishinaabe Discovery Centre since the school relocated there in 2020.  

“The facts speak to the truth that SKG has continuously reached out to SET regarding the HVAC system and the leaking roof — and then to be accused that we allowed the building to go into a state of disrepair is simply untrue,” Roach said.

Superior Court Justice Michael Varpio has suggested the landlord and tenant should come together and hash things out. Roach hopes both parties will eventually meet in order to put their lingering landlord-tenant dispute to rest.     

“We should have ceremony with the other board of directors from Shingwauk Education Trust, with elders, with our medicines, and resolve this misunderstanding in a good way. That’s what we’ve offered right from the beginning,” she said. 

The school’s application for an injunction will be heard in court March 16.