After more than a decade serving Centretown residents from its Somerset-area storefront, Highjinx says its future is uncertain following enforcement action by the City of Ottawa.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the grassroots community hub said it has been informed that the City issued a Notice of Violation to its landlord regarding the building’s occupancy and use. Highjinx said the issue began more than a year ago and stems from repeated complaints “from a single source.”
“This enforcement action is not the result of neglect or bad faith,” the organization wrote. “It follows repeated complaints from a single source and now poses a potential threat to an essential service supporting some of our most vulnerable neighbours.”
Highjinx did not respond to multiple requests for comment before publication, and this publication was unable to reach the building’s owner.
Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster said in a phone interview with the Kitchissippi Times that the Notice of Violation was not directed at Highjinx and was not issued as a result of nuisance complaints.
“Before I was elected, there were a series of complaints about Highjinx from the same person. When Catherine McKenney was a councillor, they were constantly intervening to make sure there weren’t vexatious complaints,” said Troster.
“The last time this popped up was a year ago, and they were related to zoning. At that point, I intervened with the bylaw, and we figured that the zoning would be regularized with the new zoning bylaw, so they paused enforcement. There have been no complaints since, and there are no violations on the books,” she continued.
In its statement, Highjinx said its landlord has “consistently” supported the organization and said some of the complaints “reflect stigma towards unhoused people and people who use substances.”
Troster, however, noted that the issues are related to building code violations, for which the property’s landlord is responsible.
“What is happening is the landlord needs to bring the building up to code. At some point, a building inspector was on site and determined the building was in violation, so it has nothing to do with Highjinx. It has to do with the landlord’s unwillingness to bring the building up to code,” said Troster.
“[The landlord] is refusing to talk to me and has chosen to contest the Notice of Violation of the building code in the courts. My understanding is that he doesn’t believe he’s compliant. This is a dispute between the landlord and the provincial building code,” she continued.
In a social media post, the owners of Highjinx said they’ve attended “what will be the first of many court dates” and have “not reached good-faith, meaningful discussions” with Troster and have not heard from Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.
Troster said at this point her hands are tied.
“[It’s] something that I cannot make go away politically… The landlord hung up on my staff and refuses to meet with me. I can only help Highjinx with this issue if the building owner agrees to accept my help,” she said.
Highjinx was founded in 2011 by Karen Nielson and Leigh Reid, who were frustrated by social services that consistently left gaps in support for people experiencing deep need. They soon opened the second-hand store, equipped with a community kitchen, drop-in centre and street-level outreach.
The Somerset councillor noted that she remains supportive of the work it provides and wants to find a way to keep it operating from its Kent Street storefront.
“I don’t want them to be dealing with complaints of a discriminatory nature. I have intervened before, and I would absolutely intervene again. But this is actually a different issue,” she said.
In its Facebook post, Highjinx said it’s seeking “practical solutions” to the problem and will fight to stay open despite the uncertainty.
“What remains clear is our commitment to our neighbours and our belief that community care is not a nuisance — it is essential,” the store wrote. “We will continue to serve for as long as we are able, working in good faith toward a fair and sustainable outcome.”