The city of Vancouver is investigating why Monday's windstorm sent building materials flying off the partially built high-rise on the Living Shangri-La construction site and down onto West Georgia Street.

Construction on the Living Shangri-La building was damaged during Monday's windstorm.
(CBC)

Police were forced to close the busy West Georgia Street thoroughfare for more than 12 hours on Monday and Tuesday.

A large pane of glass on the Terasen building across the street from the construction site was also knocked loose by the winds. 

Will Johnston, Vancouver's chief building official, said city inspectors were dispatched to the Living Shangri-La site to find out why plywood was coming loose in the wind.

Ledcor, the company building the 62-floor hotel and condo project, told CBC News on Tuesday that during the windstorm some plywood did blow off the building as workers were trying to secure it and it did damage vehicles nearby.

Paul Jenkinson was standing on West Georgia when the plywood started fluttering down. He watched it get closer and closer and eventually land on his truck.

"It sort of floated like a playing card would, and then proceeded to blow off and land on the two trucks that were here, including mine," said Jenkinson on Tuesday.
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Under the city's bylaws, companies must ensure the safety of their workers and the owners of any construction site where rules are not followed, could be disciplined, said Johnston.

"While the building is under construction, if they are not complying with the bylaw, we do have the ability to stop the job," said Johnston.