Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
“Excessive snow loading” caused part of a downtown Ottawa parking garage to collapse last year, says the building’s owner, which is moving ahead with plans to rebuild and reopen the site.
“The weight of accumulated cleared snow exceeded the structure’s design loads,” Great West Life Realty Advisors (GWLRA) said in a written statement Friday about the findings of an investigation.
“[It] concluded that the collapse was not related to the garage’s design, construction, maintenance or repairs.”
No one died or was injured when a top corner of the multi-level lot privately owned by GWLRA gave out on Feb. 26, 2025, in what the City of Ottawa called a “pancake collapse.”
The Slater Street garage had been emptied of people after someone called 911 the day before to report what engineers quickly confirmed were signs of imminent collapse.
Just under 12 hours after that call, the dramatic plunge was captured on video.
WATCH | The downtown garage partially collapses:
A parking garage in downtown Ottawa collapsed
A corner of a Slater Street parking garage collapsed early Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported but about 50 vehicles remain inside the structure.
GWLRA said Friday that investigators reviewed historical condition assessments, inspection reports, repair records and weather data, and that they also conducted on-site examinations.
CBC News has asked GWLRA who was responsible for snow maintenance at the time of the collapse. The company has previously said it taps snow removal contractors to remove snow “regularly.”
CBC News has also asked for a copy of the investigator’s report. GWLRA’s statement said it was carried out by an independent firm with global technical and engineering expertise.
‘Enhancing’ procedures
While not citing a timeline for when the parking garage might reopen, GWLRA said it is moving ahead with plans to rebuild portions of the site, “with safety guiding every stage of the project.”
People may see construction activity at the site in the coming weeks, according to an email from GWLRA that Somerset ward Coun. Ariel Troster shared with CBC News.
A CBC News reporter saw two people in high-visibility vests and headgear in the garage earlier this week.
Two people inside the Slater Street garage on Oct. 19, 2026. (Andrew Foote/CBC)
“The entire structure has undergone a comprehensive assessment by independent engineering firms,” GWLRA said in its statement. “As part of construction, GWLRA is accelerating planned maintenance and upgrades to refresh the overall structure and extend its lifecycle.”
“The incident has also reinforced GWLRA’s commitment to maintaining safe properties for those who use them,” the company went on to say in its statement.
“As part of this commitment, GWLRA is enhancing its procedures for monitoring and managing snow accumulation, particularly during extreme weather events.
“Given ongoing legal and insurance matters, GWLRA is not in a position to provide further details at this time.”
This past August, the City of Ottawa issued GWLRA a permit to repair the existing structure, the city told CBC News on Friday.