As winter weather takes hold in Toronto, temperatures have plummeted outside. But for some residents, it’s dropping inside their homes as well because their building has no heat.
The building a 2255 Weston Road has been without heat since Sunday, plunging residents into frigid temperatures. Tawfeeque Elmi says even with a space heater, it’s only 15 degrees in his son’s bedroom.
“My son was crying last night, in the middle of the night, he was crying,” Elmi tells CityNews. “We had to move him to come sleep between me and my wife to keep him warm.”
“I was shivering, and I had to get two blankets to feel warm,” added 7-year-old Mahad, who has had to wear his winter coat and hat inside his own home. “It’s been bad, I felt really scared.”
Elmi says he fears for his family every time he leaves for work.
“When you see that your child or your father or somebody old is suffering, and you’re paying for it, it’s like you’re paying for that suffering.”
Landlords in Toronto must provide heat to keep rental units at a minimum of 21 C from October to May, otherwise, bylaw enforcement can intervene. CityNews reached out to the property management company, but has not received a response. The building’s supervisor also refused to speak.
Some residents have been given space heaters, but when tenants try to run them, power for the building goes out.
“No power, no heat, the power will come back, and then it’s off again. I can’t even have my sons over because it’s so cold,” said one resident.
The City of Toronto tells CityNews that staff have now issued a property standards order for the repair of the boiler system, but as of Friday night, there’s still no heat.
“It’s terrible, man, to live in the cold like this, it’s not good, better I live outside,” said Freeman Barry.
Residents at the Weston Road building aren’t the only ones left in the cold. Buildings at St. Clair and Bathurst haven’t had heat since October.
“It’s been horrible,” said Rebecca Torres, who resides at 1531 & 1535 Bathurst Street. “Indoor temperatures in our apartments are 9 and 10 degrees, we’re sleeping in our clothes …it’s like camping in your own apartment.”
Residents were first told a boiler needed to be repaired and that the company was waiting on parts, only to be told weeks later, one of the boilers needs to be replaced entirely.
“The communication from management has been really poor, like we’re finding out information from talking to onsite contractors or even bylaw officers when we call them,” said resident Katherine Gall. “It’s really emotionally draining, and I can’t even get across how uncomfortable it is to be cold all the time.”
Hazelview Properties, which manages the two buildings, at first declined to provide an explanation for the ongoing issue. Late Friday, they said that the heat was now back on in the buildings. However, one of the contractors who spoke to CityNews said they’re not actually replacing the boiler, instead, they’re siphoning heat from a third building down the street.
Residents say they aren’t confident that’s going to keep them warm this winter.
