What to know
- Tenants at 2255 Weston Rd. are protesting their landlord’s latest Above-Guideline Rent Increase (AGI) application, which they say would be the third consecutive AGI.
- Residents say previous AGIs have added significantly to their housing costs, including one increase they say was as high as 7.5 per cent.
- Tenants argue the building still has maintenance problems, despite the landlord citing repairs such as elevator, flooring, carpet and balcony work as reasons for past increases.
- More than 20 tenants and ACORN advocates rallied outside the building on Tuesday, calling on the landlord to withdraw its latest AGI application and meet with residents.
- Residents are now calling on the provincial government to intervene, while also planning to bring their concerns to City Hall.
Tenants at a Weston building are calling on the provincial government to intervene after their landlord applied for their third Above-Guideline Rent Increase (AGI) in a row.
Susan Cox, a member of Weston ACORN and 30-year resident at 2255 Weston Rd., tells Now Toronto that the building’s owner, Firm Capital, has recently applied for its latest AGI, after having already increased the rent above the provincial cap of 2.5 per cent twice, with one increase being as high as 7.5 per cent.
The building allegedly justified the rent increase by saying it would use the extra rent for needed repairs, including paintings, carpet changes, elevator fixes and flooring changes. However, Cox said residents continue to face a series of maintenance issues.
“This building is not in good shape. We have a rat problem… For the past two years, we had a bug problem, they [got] rid of that…They have two elevators that they give us an AGI [for]. The year before, for the balcony. The year after that, they gave us an AGI for the garage,” she said.
“Every year we get a rent increase, every single year, and on top of that, they want [us] to pay AGI. Every repair they do in the building, we have to take up money from [our] pocket to come up with that payment.”
Cox said that for her, like other residents, the constant AGIs on top of regular rent increases have started to add up to the increased cost of living.
“I paid two AGI already on top of my rent increase, at almost $1,600 in one AGI on top of my rent. I [will be] a senior in the next couple of months… If I didn’t have my kids to help me, how would I do that?” she said.
“What do you want people to do? You can’t buy food to put on the table. You can’t pay phone bills, you can’t buy [anything] when you’re paying all of this AGI and rent.”
Residents rallied, called on authorities
On Tuesday, more than 20 tenants and ACORN advocates rallied in front of the building to protest the AGI and run a mass phone blitz on Firm Capital demanding it drop its latest application.
Tenants have also delivered a letter to management demanding they withdraw their AGI application and meet with residents to discuss the issues, along with a “Rent Gouger of the Year award.”
Tenants have also reached out to MPP Mohamed Firin’s about these issues. An email shared with Now Toronto reveals that Firin did not attend the rally on Tuesday due to scheduling issues, but his office suggested it would reach out to the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to inquire about the AGI applications on behalf of the tenants.
Back in April, residents also met with Coun. Frances Nunziata to speak out about the building issues and constant rent increases. However, Cox said residents have not seen any improvements since. ACORN alleges the councillor’s office has also not replied to their rally invitation.
A spokesperson from Frances’ office told Now Toronto a meeting was hosted by the councillor in April and attended by eight residents, as well as representatives from RentSafeTO and a Unison legal representative to provide information about how to deal with the concerns. Despite confirming the meeting, the spokesperson said they can’t provide more information in order to respect tenants’ privacy.
Following the rally and reach outs, Cox said tenants have still not gotten a response from Firm Capital.
“Nobody [is] responding to us. We go to the office, we [don’t get] a good response. All the same, ‘We have to pay this,’ and ‘This is what the government says we have to pay,’” she said.
Residents call on government to stop AGI
Since tenants have allegedly not heard back from the landlord, they are now calling on the provincial government to intervene and stop the AGI from coming through.
“The Ontario government should look into that and say, ‘No, this is not right. Stop it,’ and we are asking [it to] please to intervene with the government to stop the AGI” Cox said.
According to Cox, the group’s next step will be to rally in front of City Hall to raise awareness of the issues at 2255 Weston Rd. and gather support from city councillors.
“We’re not stopping. We [will] not stop till we hear [the AGI was] dropped. We’ve been going for the past two years. We are not giving up.”
Now Toronto reached out to Firm Capital but is still waiting for a response.
