Monday 14 August 2017

Parkdale Rent Strike Ends in Victory!

An amazing example of tenant courage, pressure tactic actions and persistence has concluded with the gutsy Parkdale rent strikers declaring victory against a huge corporate landlord. 

For six months the tenants took on a system stacked against them, using a variety of innovative actions including withholding rent, protests in front of their apartment buildings and in the lobby of the landlord's head office, a "sit in" protest at the Landlord and Tenant Board office, online petitions and pressure on a pension fund with a stake in the property management company. 

The Parkdale tenants won the following concessions from their landlord:
  • A substantial reduction in the above-guideline rent increases at each building 
  • A program of additional rent relief for tenants in financial hardship
  • A program of maintenance and repair work in each building

Saturday 5 August 2017

VICTORY! Tenant Action Overturns Air Conditioning Fee

The Park Vista Tenants’ Association was pleased to see CAPREIT withdraw plans to impose a seasonal fee of $125 per air conditioner on tenants.
Thanks to all the tenants who supported the Park Vista Tenants' Association as we challenged the landlord on this fee. 
Particular thanks to long-time tenant Patricia Steward, an articulate advocate against the new fee.
Kudos to the CBC and CTV for their coverage of this issue and Geordie Dent of the Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations for being a tireless champion for tenants.
Links to media coverage are below: 
Tenants at East York apartment building 'ecstatic' after landlord ditches air conditioning fees
East York Tenants Battle Over Air Conditioning
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/more/consumer-alert