Toronto Mayor Tours Etobicoke Buildings in Urgent Repairs: ‘It’s Unacceptable’
Residents and advocates in Etobicoke demand urgent action as Mayor Chow confronts unaddressed mould, flooding, and accessibility issues in beleaguered Bergamot Avenue buildings.
Affordable housing continues to be a pressing concern in Etobicoke, but for many tenants on Bergamot Avenue, simply having a place to live is not enough. On Saturday, members of ACORN and frustrated residents invited Mayor Olivia Chow and city councillor Vincent Crisanti on an in-person tour of several buildings, highlighting longstanding issues such as mould, flooding, and lack of accessibility. Residents say their persistent requests for repairs have gone largely unanswered.
During the tour, Mayor Chow was candid about the state of the properties. “I’ve noticed that some of these buildings have been inspected a few times, and the score that is given to them is unreasonably high,” she said, adding, “It does not look like a 90 per cent building for me.” Chow’s remarks reflected concerns that the official ratings of the buildings do not align with the real conditions experienced by residents.
At 11 Bergamot Avenue, tenants pointed out windows riddled with mould, a situation that raises both health and maintenance concerns. Over at 9 Bergamot, the lack of entrance ramps means wheelchair users and others with mobility challenges are effectively barred from entering the building easily. Councillor Crisanti did not mince words, calling the absence of basic accessibility features “unacceptable.”
The problems extend further inside the buildings. Greg, a resident of 21 Bergamot, shared his experience with chronic flooding. Every time someone uses the laundry, water finds its way into his unit, damaging his floors so badly that he had to remove the flooring entirely and paint the exposed concrete black. “There’s just no lasting fix in sight,” he explained.
Tenants describe significant barriers in reporting and resolving maintenance issues. Rather than being able to file a straightforward work order, residents are sometimes redirected to use an app that they say “barely works.” This, compounded with a fear of reprisal, leaves some too apprehensive to voice concerns. “Some people are scared to speak up because they don’t want to lose their homes,” one tenant remarked.
Monique Gordon, the Etobicoke ACORN chair and a tenant at 11 Bergamot, claims she received an eviction notice after attending a town hall meeting to raise concerns about her building. “You can come after me, because when you poke me, I’ll poke you right back, because I have the documentation,” Gordon asserted, expressing defiance at what she characterizes as retaliation against tenant advocacy.
Mayor Chow noted that the City has increased the number of bylaw enforcement officers tasked with addressing issues like these, but residents continue to press for more robust action. Many are demanding harsher penalties for landlords who fail to meet basic standards and want the City to step in more aggressively. “I think what we should do as the City of Toronto is if they don’t fix the building, City of Toronto will fix it and put it on their property tax. That’s the best way to deal with it,” Chow suggested.
The demand for safe, affordable, and well-maintained housing remains acute in Etobicoke, with residents and advocates urging immediate measures to ensure landlords are held accountable and that everyone has the right to live in dignity.
