Dozens of residents of a residential building in Parkdale are suddenly facing eviction over the use of air conditioning, fearing that their landlord’s repression is an attempt to rid the building of those with lower rents and attract higher-paying tenants.
Bhutila Carpoche, MPP for Parkdale-High Park, told CBC News that she knew of approximately 50 residents of 130 Jameson Ave. who could be evicted due to the use of air conditioning. So Toronto faced humidex values in the 1940s just a week after the official start of summer.
One of these tenants, Carpoche says, is in a wheelchair with serious underlying health problems and has lived in the building for years.
“She has lived there for decades and using AC has never been a problem before. And all of a sudden, now she’s got this notice just because she’s using her AC so she can stay cool, “she said.
“This is a serious risk to the health and safety of tenants.
“A way to get rid of us,” says the tenant
CBC News spoke to a number of residents who have also lived in the building for more than 10 years and say the use of air conditioning has never been a problem before.
Gerald Lomond is one of them.
The exterior of The Imperial apartment building at 130 Jameson Ave., in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood, is pictured Tuesday. Some of the occupants of the building have been issued eviction notices related to the use of window-mounted air conditioners. (Evan Mitsui / CBC)
Lomund, who has lived in the building for about a decade, says hydro was included as part of his lease, but now faces the choice of paying for it himself or finding somewhere else to live.
“I feel like this is just a way to get rid of us because we pay lower rents. “If we had to move out and come back, our rent would go up by six or seven hundred dollars,” he said.
Cindy Terian and Elizabeth Beard, who have lived in the building for 30 and 13 years, respectively, agree.
Terian lives with a respiratory condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but says he believes the landlord is “not interested in tenants” and that the sudden change is a matter of “greed.”
Tenants are given options to pay for hydro or get rid of the air conditioner
Landlord Myriad Property Management said in an email that it conducts annual inspections of all units in the building and notes any breaches of the tenant’s lease, including air conditioners or other appliances not included in their agreement.
Tenants are then given a warning letter and one to two weeks to comply with options to pay directly for hydro or to pay a monthly fee to the property management company.
The exterior of The Imperial apartment building at 130 Jameson Ave., in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood, is pictured Tuesday. Some of the occupants of the building have been issued eviction notices related to the use of window-mounted air conditioners. (Evan Mitsui / CBC)
These tenants are then re-checked. If they continue to use unapproved appliances, they will receive a warning warning of possible eviction, the company said.
“It has not been, never has been and never will be our intention to expel someone without giving them the opportunity to rectify the situation in a reasonable way and for a period of time,” the statement said.
MPP wants to see regulated maximum temperatures
But Carpoche says tenants in Ontario are facing a “big loophole” created during former Prime Minister Mike Harris’ computer, where if a unit is vacant, rents could increase indefinitely.
“No limit. So, if the rent in a certain unit doubles, it would be completely legal. And this is a loophole that largely encourages landlords to evict tenants, most often for unscrupulous reasons, sometimes for completely false reasons, “said Carpoche.
That is why, says Carpoche, the rent must be stabilized among the tenants, something for which the New Democrat introduced the bill to a private member at the last session of the legislature. The proposed law was rejected, she said.
Bhutila Carpoche, MPP for Parkdale-High Park, told CBC News that she knew of approximately 50 residents of 130 Jameson Avenue who could be evicted due to the use of air conditioning. Thus, Toronto faced humidity values until the 1940s just one week after the official start of summer. (CBC)
The MPP also says Ontario should consider regulating maximum temperatures for rents, as does minimum temperatures in the winter months.
Meanwhile, residents of 130 Jameson say they will not go anywhere.
“Everyone’s sticking together,” Terien said.
“I know I’m going to get in trouble because I’m talking, but I don’t care.”
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