Iqaluit Dental Clinic owner asks for break on firefighting bill
Building that was supposed to house new clinic, staff housing destroyed by fire while under construction last year
A fire sweeps through the construction site at 767 Fred Coman St. in Iqaluit on April 8, 2023. The building was supposed to house the Iqaluit Dental Clinic. (File photo by Jason Sudlovenick, special to Nunatsiaq News)
The owner of the Iqaluit Dental Clinic hopes the city will provide financial relief from the emergency services bill it sent him after a fire last year.
“We’re just a small business,” Dr. Marc Mahfouz said, appearing before council on Zoom Tuesday.
Mahfouz said he had been planning to move his practice to 767 Fred Coman St., around the corner from its current location at 622 Queen Elizabeth Way.
The new building would have included an expanded clinic and housing for Mahfouz’s employees.
Those plans came to a halt April 8, 2023, when the building that was under construction was destroyed by fire. The fire took more than a day to extinguish; fire Chief Steve McGean called it Iqaluit’s biggest fire in five years.
After the site cleanup was completed, Mahfouz said he was shocked to receive two bills from the city — one for the emergency response and another for the debris cleanup — totalling around $135,000.
Mahfouz said he has been charged an additional $15,000 in interest by the city, bringing the total to $150,000. Other expenses including bank and legal fees have also added up.
“I didn’t know the city charged for that, I thought it was included in the taxes and all,” Mahfouz said.
“It is a hefty sum.… The insurance, they didn’t pay for that.”
He asked councillors to reduce his bill or at least forgive the interest. Otherwise, he will have to borrow from friends or family to pay it off.
“I was hoping I could get some help with that, especially the interest, and if we can do a little bit more also it would be appreciated.”
Councillors were not ready to grant Mahfouz’s request Tuesday night.
A motion by Coun. Kyle Sheppard to have the city’s administration determine what the municipality is allowed to do within its bylaws and report back with suggestions, received unanimous approval.
The city’s consolidated fees and charges bylaw outlines hourly rates the city charges when firefighters and fire trucks respond to an incident, protective services director Rod Mugford said in an email to Nunatsiaq News.
For example, it costs $70 per hour to have a fire department lieutenant on scene. For two hours of firefighting on residential, commercial and institutional buildings, the bylaw lists a fee of $2,500.
As well, the city charges $135 per cubic metre in tipping fees to dispose of construction debris after a cleanup.
In a phone interview Wednesday, Mahfouz said totals based on those fees were what he was invoiced.
Debris disposal alone cost about $46,000 of the $150,000 he owes, he said.
Mahfouz said he understands why councillors chose to review the city’s options, and he’ll work with the city on the next steps.
He said he still plans to build a new clinic to expand his practice, which employs 15 people as one of two dental service providers in Iqaluit.
“You already have a fire, you’re already down, and then they pile it up on you,” Mahfouz said.
What?? Are you serious 🧐 😂
This is the penalty for not knowing what is inside the cities by laws. Of course there is a charging fee for the use of emergency services and the clean up of waste materials. You wanted to open and operate a business in the north. These same costs are similar to what businesses in the south are charged. Just because some acquire free services not all receive free services in the north. Businesses costs money to operate. Municipalities also is a business and they have to receive compensation for the work that was completed.
Most cities in the south cover their firefighting costs with property taxes. Some may have a nominal fee that wouldn’t set a person back much and is often covered by insurance anyway.
No, not ‘of course’ – it all depends on the municipalities, it is a mistake to think that this is the norm. Most places I live DO NOT charge for firefighting services, it is public good paid by taxes.
You are right in one sense though; this is why you check.
This is opportunism at its finest. They think cash in. City steeps low, there is no justice here. Just trash and laws applied only when opportunity arises.
Interesting that the city wants to consult its bylaws on this one to forgive $135,000 to a local business whose building caught on fire (what was the cause of the fire, Nunatsiaq? Was it arson?) but couldn’t consult its Unsightly Land Bylaw about forgiving $150,000 in tipping fees and junk removal for the delinquent owners of abandoned vehicles.
Continues to get less and less attractive to be a contributing member these days.
send the bill to the insurance company. let them negotiate with the city.
I he didn’t have insurance then he is liable for the costs.
if anyone looked at the actual invoice it would be inflated and unreasonable. I would take the money from the building insurance, start up Dentist Company #2, and leave the City high and dry.
The insurance policy should cover all those costs. People need to check their policies, though. This then is the (dumb) message from the City to homeowners: Don’t call the fire department if you think you can extinguish a fire on your own. And never mind if a fire spreads or gets out of hand.
This is such an unwelcoming place sometimes.
So, our property taxes don’t cover firefighter salaries, equipment and other expenses?
If there’s no danger to life or nearby buildings, might as well save the property owner some money and let it burn. While not the firefighters’ fault, the city has a dismal record of saving structures, anyway.
Can we start sending bills to arsonists? And then make them get jobs and keep working until they pay off the full cost of their dangerous, destructive, dysfunctional fun? Even if they don’t feel like it?
I don’t know if this building went up from arson, but most of the fires in Nunavut are just that. If you don’t make the criminals pay for the damage they do, then law-abiding taxpaying citizens providing essential services to a population that refuses to look after itself should definitely not have to pay for firefighting.
Someone should ask the good doctor how many people he gave a break to on his dental fees when their insurance didn’t pay?
I
Years ago I phoned for an ambulance because I had had a heart attack in Iqaluit.
I survived, and got a bill from the city for $900 for a 4 minuit ride to the hospital.
That works out to $13,500 per hour.
Great way to deter business investment in Iqaluit. “If there’s a fire during construction, instead of fining the contractor (who is responsible at that time) fine the entrepreneur out of business instead of the contractor who was GN approved. Duh.
Agreed. Sneaky opportunism. Wheres the clean up fees or littering fines for the rest of this city that’s become such a dump.
“Ah a respectable small business owner, how can we use this to our advantage” – the city probably.
Maybe next time just let it burn if you’re going to that.
Considering the inuit have full coverage for most dental work, probably not a lot. Are you upset because you didn’t take care of your own teeth, and expect someone to do it for you? Give your head a brush, and a floss, and a rinse…
blame renters … not enough people own houses, that property taxes woul;d cover cost like in south. let alone they dont chase after all those taxes owned in arrears .
Is there any disclosure of information regarding these service fees. Start up companies might not be brave enough to start from the city of Iqaluit.