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– HISTORY: Landlords Come Out of the Shadows to Protest (1991) ???

September 8, 2008 by East York Tenants Group

https://eastyorktenantsgroup.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=249&action=edit

 

Many of us who live in larger buildings know how hard it can be to get a hold of the actual landlord. Often there are layers of property management staff between tenants and the owners of buildings.

With that in mind, I found this 1991 article that describes a rowdy protest at Queen’s Park against rent control by (gasp!) actual landlords joined by construction contractors interesting.

Note the inventive protest techniques – maybe we can learn from them (LOL).

Rent-control protest went over the top

Ottawa Citizen – November 22, 1991
by Jim Coyle

Toronto — Housing Minister Evelyn Gigantes has seldom sounded so eloquent, rarely seemed so reasonable, probably never made her case so well.

And she didn’t say a word.

She couldn’t. The band of slavering landlords, construction workers and contractors who showed up Thursday at Queen’s Continue Reading »

Posted in Activism, Apartment Issues, History, Politics, Protests, Queen's Park, Rent Control | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

– BED BUGS: A Growing Menace

September 7, 2008 by East York Tenants Group

Refer to this link for more information on Cockroach & Bed bug pests:  http://wp.me/Pia0J-Jc 

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Bed bugs appear to be a growing problem in Toronto, and yes, in our beloved East York, too.

Toronto Public Health notes an increase in calls about bed bugs: 800 calls between January and May 2007 compared to 197 calls in 2005.

Pest control companies have also recorded an increase in the number of bed bug cases they encounter. Their anecdotal evidence seems to point to the bed bug problem only starting to impact Toronto in the late 1990s.

Bed bugs don’t ask whether their human prey are renters or owners, living in an apartment or house, but the infestations can be harder on tenants than on other residents.

The proximity of living spaces in an apartment building or shared house can make it more likely for bed bugs to spread from one unit to another. On top of this, renters may get little response from their landlord when they raise the issue of bedbugs and many just cannot afford to buy new clothing or furniture to replace ones infested with the bugs or to move to get away from bed bug infestations.

Witness the case of Megan, an East York tenant:

‘Megan Basten and her boyfriend had been scratching what they thought were mosquito bites for at least a week before they Continue Reading »

Posted in Apartment Issues, Bed bugs, Health, Pests | Tagged , , | 1 Comment »

– 2 SECORD AVENUE: Property Manager Reneges On Promise Leaving Tenants Feeling Confused and Betrayed

September 6, 2008 by East York Tenants Group

On the morning of July 20, 2008,  a massive explosion in the basement electrical room of 22-storey, 2 Secord Avenue and subsequent fire, forced the 900 residents of the apartment building from their homes.

Thick smoke traveled up from the basement, through the elevator shaft and ventilation system, blackening surfaces throughout the building with soot and forcing the immediate evacuation of the residents. Many left the building with only the clothing on their backs.

The 2 Secord tenants spent 40 days living in emergency accomodations: bunking either with family and friends or in hotel rooms provided by the Continue Reading »

Posted in Apartment Issues, Apartment Safety, Preston Group | Tagged , | 2 Comments »

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