GORE BAY—Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) is still waiting word from its insurance brokers on what its options are with the Woods Lane Apartment building (which OAHS owns) which was extensively damaged in a fire on April 1. They are also hoping to meet with Gore Bay town officials to discuss all matters regarding the property, including the recently passed Gore Bay council interim control bylaw on the property.
“OAHS is currently doing our due diligence and awaiting further information from our insurance broker to clarify what our options are and the associated costs,” said Sarah McBain, communications manager with OAHS. “Once we have this information, we will review all factors in order to make the best decision possible.”
Ms. McBain explained, “a permit for demolition (of the apartment building) was acquired for the portion of the building that our insurance broker deemed to be unsafe and not salvageable.”
“We have recently reached out to the Town of Gore Bay in hopes of meeting with the mayor and council in the near future,” said Ms. McBain. “We hope to have positive discussions on all matters surrounding the property, including the interim control bylaw.”
As was reported in the August 6, 2025 edition of The Expositor, Gore Bay town council has passed a bylaw that will allow it to control any development on property where the Woods Lane Apartment building is located for at least a year, to allow time for the town to have a planner do a study of the best housing use for the property.
At a special meeting on July 14, Gore Bay council gave direction to town staff in order to control what will happen on the property, to draft an interim control bylaw, which is good for a year.
“With this bylaw we control any development of the property and the owner (OAHS) will not be able to rebuild during that period,” Mayor Ron Lane had told The Expositor previously. “We have to do a planning study to determine the best use for the property and can amend our current zoning bylaw to allow for the possibility of other types of use other than the current one.”
As council has raised previously, “social housing is needed, but this is not the best location in town” for that (OAHS) location, explained Mayor Lane.
He pointed out both Harry Schlange (former town manager/clerk) and himself had sent several messages to the OAHS CAO requesting a meeting, but no agreement ever came to having a meeting.
The interim control bylaw freezes development of the building property for a year. Mayor Lane had also explained OAHS cannot oppose the interim control bylaw in court during the first year.
