Freedom Convoy-affiliated group refusing to leave Ottawa church after eviction notice
Members of a Freedom Convoy-affiliated group remain at an Ottawa church one day after the owner of the historic property moved to evict them over unpaid rent.
The bailiff who issued the eviction notice on the doors of St. Brigid's Church in Lowertown told CTV News Ottawa that people refusing to leave the church are "squatting" and need to leave. But those still at the church remained defiant Friday afternoon.
"They have no lawful authority to be asking us to leave, that's our understanding and that's been confirmed with our legal team," William Komer of The United People of Canada told reporters outside the church. "We're not going to be leaving this property while we have an active lawful lease on it."
On Thursday, a bailiff with Cease Bailiff Services delivered a "Notice of Termination of Tenant" to St. Brigid's Church on St. Patrick Street, which stated the landlord had terminated the occupancy of the United People of Canada under the Commercial Tenancies Act.
The notice says the landlord has terminated the lease, effective Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, as a result of "arrears of payment of rent in the amount of $10,000" and "failure to provide proof of liability insurance in the minimum of $5 million." Another notice on the door says the tenants are in violation of the Ontario Heritage Act and failed to obtain necessary permits for construction under the Ontario Building Code Act.
"Our lease is active, it's not been terminated," Komer said, insisting The United People of Canada's lease for the church has a notice period of termination.
Dave of Cease Bailiff Services was at the church on Friday, while an Ottawa Bylaw officer was issuing tickets for parking violations along St. Patrick Street. The locks have been changed on the Art Rectory Building and garage on the adjacent property, which is owned by the same owner of the church.
The historic church in Ottawa has been for sale for over a year, with an asking price of $5.9 million.
When CTV News Ottawa's Jeremie Charron asked Komer if The United People of Canada is able to show proof of payment for the rent, Komer said, "We've provided the appropriate documentation to the police and they're doing investigation right now."
On Thursday, The United People of Canada said the attempt to "unlawfully evict" the group from the historic church was in retaliation for complaints.
In July, The United People of Canada moved into St. Brigid's Church, saying it planned to purchase the church for its "Embassy." There were red banners hanging from the front of the church.
The largest financial backer for the group is Tony Cuzzocrea, President of Planmar Financial Corp. based in London, Ont.
Documents obtained by CTV News shows the sale of St. Brigid's Church to the United People of Canada has fallen through. The church was conditionally sold to the group on June 15, but as of Aug. 12, real estate listing documents show the property was listed as "back on the market."
On Friday, Komer insisted the group is still in the process of purchasing St. Brigid's Church.
"There's been attempt from the property owners to no longer do business with us in contravention of the Ontario Human Rights Code," Komer said. "So we raised a concern under the Ontario Human Rights Code and strictly following we've been fraudulently attempted to be evicted here. They don't want to do business with us because we've raised human rights concerns, is our understanding."
Komer said there is "a lot of discrimination that's going on in the neighbourhood", referencing pushback from residents in Lowertown.
"We have people saying, 'St. Brigid's is for the community, not the convoy' or things like that. We are not affiliated with the Freedom Convoy whatsoever but there are persons that have attended the Freedom Convoy come here and do attend events, do volunteer and those sorts of things, as well as everybody in the community is welcome.
"Because we've standed firm that everybody's welcome here, we feel like we've been subject to a lot of discrimination. People actually come here hostile to us."
Mayor Jim Watson called The United People of Canada group "nutty."
"The best word to describe it is bizarre, to be perfectly honest. I think the people that are trying to buy it seem to be a bit nutty; they are going around calling themselves ambassadors and it's an Embassy and so on, it's really a joke," Watson told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.
"They're clearly connected to the convoy people, for them to keep denying that is disingenuous."
Watson has a message for the owner of the historic church property trying to evict the group for not paying the rent - "don't deal with this group."
"My hope is that the Irish group says, 'you know enough is enough, we're not going to deal with these wackos.'"
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Jeremie Charron and CTV News' Mackenzie Gray
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.