Two new Toronto buildings are joining a fast growing Rent Strike.

Developing:

Toronto Compass has previously reported on the rent strike over two buildings across hundreds of tenants in Weston.

Now, two more buildings with 100’s more tenants have joined the strike. Tenants at 1440-1442 Lawrence West claim their corporate landlord, Barney River, is trying to raise rent above the guideline while neglecting tenant safety and dignity.

Toronto Compass has obtained tenant testimonials that confirm these claims. Tenants told us of pest problems so bad that Canada Post has refused to continue to deliver to the buildings. One tenant informed us she could not afford the trips to the new mail delivery location. Meanwhile, the landlord has refused to meet the tenants or Canada Post.

Another tenant informed the Compass that her stove hasn’t been working for weeks and has been given no timeline for fixing it.

Tenant after tenant, compass heard stories of leaks, mold, pests, unsafe conditions, and lack of dignity at the lands of these landlords, and time and time again; compass heard that Barney River was ignoring and outright refusing to meet with tenants.

Tenants are asking for safety, dignity, and an end to unaffordable above-guideline rent increases, yet even the landlord cannot meet these requirements. Across Toronto and the GTA, tenants have to fight for the bare minimum.

With a province striking down tenant protection, a landlord-tenant board that is either backlogged at best or biased toward the landlord at worst.

This is part of Toronto Compass’s ongoing coverage of the rent strikes across Toronto, culminating in a multi-part podcast in late 2023. Stay Tuned for more.