Welland Fire and Emergency Services (WFES) has concluded two Ontario Fire Code prosecutions involving residential properties in Welland.
The property owner was convicted in Provincial Offences Court after pleading guilty to multiple violations of the Fire Code. The charges stem from fire safety inspections conducted by WFES fire prevention staff at two properties owned by the same individual: 71 Young Street and 23 Welland Street. The court imposed fines totalling $120,000, plus court costs, and placed the owner on two years’ probation.
“Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure their rental properties are maintained in compliance with the Fire Code,” said Matt Richardson, acting fire chief. “Conditions such as missing smoke alarms, inadequate fire protection systems, and unsafe building modifications place lives at risk. WFES will not tolerate properties being operated in a manner that endangers occupants or firefighters.”
WFES inspected 71 Young Street in July 2025 after receiving multiple fire safety complaints. The property includes a three-storey multi-residential building and a detached two-storey garage that had been converted into additional dwelling units. Officers identified several serious Fire Code violations, including missing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the converted garage apartments, unsafe building modifications, and other life-safety concerns inside the main building.
In April 2025, WFES also inspected 23 Welland Street, a two-storey multi-residential building with a commercial unit on the ground floor. Officers identified multiple violations, including inadequate fire separations and a fire alarm system that was not maintained in working condition. The property owner had previously been charged in 2023 for failing to comply with an inspection order at this property.
WFES reminds property owners that compliance with the Ontario Fire Code is mandatory and essential to protecting the safety of residents, visitors, and emergency responders. The service continues to work proactively with property owners to promote fire safety and compliance through inspections, education, and enforcement when necessary.
Residents with concerns about fire safety in residential properties are encouraged to contact fire prevention staff at fireprevention@welland.ca.