Over 300 tenants at two apartment buildings in Toronto, Canada, have stopped paying rent for weeks. They have claimed that their landlords are not adhering to rent control guidelines.
On Saturday morning, tenants and union representatives gathered to provide information about the strike.
“I moved into my bachelor at $500. It’s now almost $1,000,” one tenant stated. “I’m making ends meet. That’s all I can say, at the end of the month is the next month, and the next month,” she added.
Over 300 tenants were a part of the strike. 100 were from John Street, and 220 residents were from King Street.
“We’ve experienced rent increases up to 25 percent in 2019. These crazy, unfair rent increases have been making us decide if we’re going to be paying out rent on time. Or maybe if we’re going to be having food on our table,” said resident Anthony Alao from John Street.
Not only has rent gone up, but amenities have been lost.
Alao states that the elevators in his building haven’t been working consistently for the past three years. Another resident reported that the balconies in her building need to be fixed. To add, the pool can’t be used.
“These corporate landlords are getting away with too much,” said Beverly Henry, as people rallied at the buildings of Local MPP, Michael Ford’s office and Federal Housing Minister, Ahmed Hussen’s office.
Ontario landlords of rent-based buildings are permitted to increase rent up to 2.5 percent and don’t have to submit an application to the Ontario Landlord Tenant Board. If it is more than that, it is thought to be an ‘Above Guideline Rent Increase,’ and must be approved by the LTB.
That’s ridiculous for apartments to cost as much as mortgage payment or more and can’t own them. I support the strike. These landlords/companies are greedy.