Ensemble Montreal calls for an investigation into fatal fire in Old Montreal

Montreal's official opposition is calling for a coroner's inquiry to shed light on the March 16 fire that destroyed a building on Place d'Youville and killed seven people.

Ensemble Montréal echoed demands made by the three opposition parties in the national assembly, who had called for such an inquiry a few days ago.

"A public inquiry will shed light on the circumstances of this tragedy that mourns all Montrealers to understand the chain of events that led to such a tragedy," reads a letter from Ensemble Montréal leader Aref Salem.

Sent Monday, the letter was addressed to the chief coroner Pascale Descary, her deputy Luc Malouin and to Public Security Minister François Bonnardel.

The municipal opposition party is also asking for Montreal's auditor general to look into the matter, particularly concerning "the process of issuing conversion permits that were granted despite the non-conformity of architectural plans as well as the inspections of buildings built before 1940 in the borough of Ville-Marie."

The elected officials of Ensemble Montréal couldn't say how the building's owner would have obtained such permits when several rooms reportedly did not have windows.

"The question is, how many buildings are non-conforming, and how did this escape the City of Montreal?" Salem said in a statement. "There is obviously a serious and worrisome safety issue. This issue is not to be taken lightly."

"We have been asking for explanations for over a week, and the borough and the administration have been silent for a week. It takes a rigorous and objective person to shed light on this troubling and dismaying situation. That person is the auditor general," said Abdelhaq Sari, the party's spokesperson on public safety.

A motion calling for the investigations will be tabled at the next city council meeting on April 17.

On March 31, the Quebec coroner's office deemed it premature to hold a public inquiry into the incident.

 This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 3, 2023.