City of Kenora aiming to expropriate historic hotel

A historic hotel in Kenora is expected to be expropriated due to neglect, but not everyone in the community is on board. CTV’s Danton Unger explains.

The City of Kenora is looking to take over the historic Kenricia Hotel, an iconic piece of Kenora’s skyline for more than a century.

“It’s a bold move on behalf of the city and city council,” said Kenora Mayor Andrew Poirier.

Poirier said city council has voted to expropriate the privately owned hotel. If successful, he said the city would look for developers who will revitalize and restore the historic building.

“It’s the most iconic piece of property in this in the city, in the downtown core in the city of Kenora, and it has all kinds of history,” said Poirier.

It was built in 1910 as the tourist hotel, a part of the city’s effort to promote itself as a tourism destination.

The current owners have held it since 2005, but acting CAO Stace Gander said it has been neglected over the years.

“We’d like to see it be restored to what it was before, quite frankly… If you look at the facade of that building, there’s been little to no investment in the outside of that building in the last 20 years,” said Gander.

CTV News reached out to the building’s owners, who declined to comment.

For some, the plan is a welcomed move, but for homelessness activist Marlene Elder, it is cause for concern.

“It’s taking away places for people to live, as opposed to adding to them,” said Elder.

Elder said she isn’t against the expropriation but worries it will ultimately displace the long-term residents currently living there.

“If they were looking at it and developing a supportive housing project there, I’d be totally on board,” she said.

The city estimates there are about 20 residents living in the hotel.

“We’re doing what we can to work with those people to mitigate any risks that they have and support a smooth and orderly transition,” said Gander.

Gander said the whole process is expected to take six to nine months.