The Nova Scotia Small Claims Court has reversed a decision by Residential Tenancies that ruled against an apartment building owner, and has instead decided to evict the tenant at the Vida Living building at 451 Herring Cove Road in Halifax. Photo by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentA 52-year-old Halifax man has been ordered to vacate his apartment after Nova Scotia Small Claims Court found that his repeated racist comments and disruptive behaviour toward other residents were a breach of his lease.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentOn Thursday, Nova Scotia Small Claims Court released the decision to terminate the man’s tenancy at a VIDA communities building on Herring Cove Road, ordering him to leave by Sept. 30.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentPrevious complaintArticle contentThe ruling reverses a Residential Tenancies decision made last year dismissing VIDA’s application to evict the tenant.Article contentIn May 2025, VIDA applied to Nova Scotia Residential Tenancies to terminate the tenant’s residency, citing that the man had violated conditions of his lease surrounding the condition of the unit and his own behaviour.Article contentAccording to court documents, the application was dismissed in March 2026 by Residential Tenancy Officer Shelia Briand, saying there had not been enough evidence provided by the landlord to support the claim.Article contentThe document says the decision to dismiss the application “contains no summary of the evidence or further explanation for that conclusion.”Article contentVIDA appealed the decision later in March, resulting in the July 24 and 29 hearing where seven witnesses came forward to speak on behalf of the landlord.Article contentWitness testimonyArticle contentOne witness identified in the document as Ms. Ritika, lived above the tenant with her husband and brother.Article contentArticle contentAccording to her testimony, the tenant would often bang on the walls and ceiling as well as frequently be screaming over the course of about two years.Article contentArticle contentShe also testified that on about 15 to 20 occasions, the tenant directed racist comments toward herself and her family.Article contentThe documents said comments included “go back to your country” and “you Indians are idiots.” They also highlighted one incident where the tenant threatened Ritika and her husband, saying he would punch them in the face.Article contentRitika said that not only did the noise interfere with sleep and work, but the comments also left her feeling unsafe at home.Article contentMultiple employees from VIDA also testified to their experiences with the tenant, saying that the man had complained to them about “foreigners” and “illegal immigrants” moving into the building. They added that they found him intimidating to the point that the company required employees who needed to go to his unit to go in pairs.
Halifax tenant evicted after court finds repeated racist comments, disruptive behaviour breached lease
