Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig continues legal fight to stop eviction

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and its landlord have been granted another couple of weeks by Ontario Superior Court to secure dates for pre-trial and court hearings as the post-secondary institution continues a legal fight to stop its eviction from the Anishinaabe Discovery Centre.   

The landlord in the legal dispute, Shingwauk Education Trust — the entity responsible for much of the land surrounding the former site of Shingwauk Indian Residential School — initially slapped the school with an eviction notice in December 2022 to vacate the building on or before March 2 after allegedly allowing the building to fall into a state of disrepair.

A leaking roof and issues with the building’s HVAC system — and who's responsible for repairs — are at the heart of the landlord-tenant dispute, in addition to whether or not Shingwauk Education Trust can terminate the lease over its concerns. 

The school has been a tenant of the $11.9-million facility, situated across the street from Algoma University, since the building opened its doors in November 2020. 

During a court hearing held Thursday, Ontario Superior Court Justice Michael Varpio gave assurances that Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig won’t be getting kicked to the curb for the time being. 

“Nobody’s getting thrown out of anything prior to any court hearing,” said Varpio. “So if anyone was holding their breath, they can resume breathing easily.”

Legal counsel for Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig indicated Thursday that a contractor’s report outlining the extent of the damages, as requested by the court, has been completed. 

The court also heard that it's not currently dealing with a situation where the Anishinaabe Discovery Centre is "inherently dangerous," Varpio said. 

The next court hearing takes place April 14.