Deputy Mayor and Councillor Ausma Malik says she is working hard to fix flooding issues that have left tenants in a Toronto community housing building with limited access to basic services.
Residents of 150 Dan Leckie Way, located near Bathurst St. and Fort York Blvd., have been dealing with partially functional elevators since last Thursday after flooding damaged the building’s internal mechanisms, the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) says.
But Malik, who is the councillor for Spadina-Fort York, says she has been working with tenants for months to rectify problems caused by flooding and that it is “unacceptable for residents to continually face these issues in their homes.”
The TCHC told Now Toronto on Monday that Thursday’s floods were caused by a ruptured sprinkler line that froze after a unit window was left open; it did not comment on the existing damage Malik referred to.
“Toronto Fire, TCHC staff, and a wide range of third-party vendors immediately began working Thursday evening to clean up the water and assess the damage. This included the elevator bays that were impacted by the flood,” the TCHC says.
Meanwhile, resident Janell Gray told Now Toronto on Monday the building has been in a state of disrepair since December, citing intermittent access to heat and water-sodden units that are yet to be fixed.
Malik says at the moment residents can expect to see cleaning crews, plumbers, and elevator pump and alarm techs working on-site to restore services.
“Building staff will also be conducting door knocks to assess all the units affected by damages,” she wrote.
Two of three elevators was back up and running by Friday, but Gray says residents were told that the remaining one would be out of service for up to three weeks.
This poses a slew of issues for tenants, many of whom have accessibility needs, Gray says.
Last week, it took her almost an hour to climb 39 floors up to her apartment, which she described as “quite the struggle.” Meanwhile, residents who can not use the stairs are relying on just two operational lifts that are currently serving the entire 41-storey complex, according to Gray.
Footage from Thursday’s flooding, provided by Gray, shows a steady stream of water filling the building’s common areas. She also shared images depicting significant wall and ceiling damage, exposed electrical elements and peeling paint.
In addition, Gray claims some occupants are having difficulty scheduling repairs to their apartments because they do not have tenant insurance, and that when she signed her lease she was told it wasn’t necessary.
“When I first signed my lease I asked if I needed tenant insurance, and the person told me to hurry up and sign the contract, not to worry about these things,” Gray explained.
“When you come out of a shelter or domestic violence situation, you’re going to sign the papers,” she continued, adding that staff running the housing office “need to do better” at communicating the need for insurance to incoming residents.
Meanwhile, Malik says she has made it clear to TCHC staff that the new housing plan must include permanent measures to address recurring maintenance issues.
“I continue to work with residents and staff with urgency to improve existing infrastructure,” she said, adding that the city’s 2025 budget is putting $300 million towards TCHC repairs.
