Asbestos charges laid against former owner of Grace Hospital

The property developer which once owned the former Grace hospital site has been fined $100,000 for failing to properly clean up the asbestos on site.

On Oct. 17, Grace Village Windsor Inc. pleaded guilty to four offences laid by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.

Kate Jordan, who speaks for the ministry, said a consultant hired by the company in 2011 reported that there was no asbestos on site.

"Although they did submit some documentation, when we reviewed it we found it wasn't satisfactory and we did our own research into the site and that research indicated that, yes, there was asbestos containing material historically known to be in the building," said Jordan.

The company also has to pay a $25,000 victim fine. It has 180 days to pay all the fines.

Asbestos was commonly used in building construction until the 1970s. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause respiratory ailments including lung cancer. The risk of exposure to asbestos is higher when the building materials are disturbed, such as during renovations and repairs.