St. Catharines fire officials say a recent Ontario Court of Justice conviction, together with $7,500 worth of fines, is serving as a reminder to the city’s homeowners, landlords and tenants of their responsibilities when it comes to fire safety, specifically the requirement for working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. On January 12, 2022, the owner of a residential property at 5 Lucerne Pl. in St. Catharines plead guilty to three charges related to a failure to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, alongside a failure to ensure the alarms were maintained in working order. Fire Chief Dave Upper is reminding all homeowners, landlords and tenants that properly maintained and installed alarms are not only required by law, but they provide critical early warning that saves lives during emergencies. In a recent court appearance in Provincial Offences Court, the property owner and prosecutor for the City arrived at a resolution, on a joint-submission basis, that led to the defendant facing three fines of $2,500, plus applicable court surcharges.
