After less than six months, families living in a condominium complex in south Winnipeg are being forced to move.

Twenty-three of the 24 units in the west building at 873 Waverley St. are owned by the Aurora Recovery Center (ARC), a facility that helps those with addiction problems create a path to sobriety. The complex, known as the Aurora Reunification Village, was created to reconnect mothers with their children during recovery.

But now, that village is torn down.

CTV News spoke with a tenant who asked not to be identified because she is in treatment.

“It’s sad because this is probably the safest place some of us have ever experienced and we’re not welcome,” she said. “I feel victimized again, and now I feel homeless again.

“He feels uprooted. No security, no stability.”

The tenant is one of 20 — including six children — who will have to leave the location after a Manitoba judge issued an order to quit earlier this month.

According to court documents, the condo corporation claimed Aurora was using the development for commercial purposes. It said the company was against Section 2.3.1 of the Condominium Declaration, which states that “Each Unit shall be occupied and used solely as a private single-family residence and for no other purpose . . .”

The presiding judge agreed, writing in her opinion: “In this case, I agree with the plaintiff’s contention that the operation of a business such as Reunification Village as a branch of ARC is inconsistent with and contrary to the Declaration of this condominium.”

“I guess it’s a business,” said Jessica Dos Santos, center manager and adviser for Reunification Village. “I just feel like it’s no different than someone coming on-site and providing home care.”

As part of its operations, Aurora provided advisory and support services as well as financial aid.

“Everybody there is not allowed to do drugs, not allowed to drink,” said Aurora President and CEO Michael Bruneau. “They are very happy. They are there with their children.”

But Aurora staff and tenants say they’ve faced backlash.

“Many tenants have experienced people following them, people taking pictures of them, even as simple as nonverbal communication,” Dos Santos said.

The attorney representing the condominium board declined an interview and said neither he nor his client would comment on the matter.

In the meantime, Bruneau said he hopes to move to a new location and resume operations soon.

“We know we’re not wanted here, so we’re going to move,” he said.

Bruneau could not confirm when or where the facility would move, however, he said some tenants have already moved to Aurora’s other reunification property in Brandon, Man.

He also said he plans to use the vacant apartments at Castle Gate Estates on Waverley Street to help Winnipeg’s vulnerable population by providing them with temporary accommodation during the cold winter months.

“If I can do some good and save some people from freezing to death outside, I’ll get them in there and warm them and feed them,” Bruneau said. “So I’m going to do that. Mark my words.”