Mayor appeals to Torontonians for help after Parliament St. fire

A week after a six-alarm fire displaced 1,500 residents at 650 Parliament St., Mayor John Tory appealed to the public to chip in and help out “in the way that Torontonians have proven so many times before that they’re prepared to do.”

In a press conference on Tuesday, Tory stated that the responsibility to find long-term accommodation for the displaced residents rests solely with the landlord.

He said he met with the building’s landlords on Monday and made his expectations “very clear.”

“They must work as quickly as possible to get this building back up and safe and habitable and they must do everything possible to see in the meantime that their tenants are properly looked after,” said Tory.

“The city is here to help but ultimately, the resolution of these matters and the financing of these matters … is the responsibility of the landlord and their insurance.”

He added that the landlords accepted their responsibilities, but the city promised to help by way of appeals and support.

To that end, while the building is being repaired, Tory asked both citizens as well as corporations to help out in three specific areas.

Back-to-school support

Tory asked for donations of new children’s clothing and shoes for the first week back-to-school.

He said that while many residents found their clothing intact, it smelled so much of smoke that even after washing, it was unwearable.

“I think the people of Toronto know how important the first day of school is for every child,” said Tory. “For these children, if you can imagine the dislocation of being out of your home and still having the excitement and the anxiety of going to school next Tuesday and having the further challenge now of not having access to your clothing — this is something we want to help with.”

Tory asked individuals for either new, unused items they may have at home or possibly to buy new items to donate. He also said it was an opportunity for retailers, manufacturers and wholesalers to contribute.

The children range in age from four to 16 years and around 320 sets of clothes are needed including shorts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, socks, shoes and underwear.

Donations will be coordinated by two local St. James Town organizations — Community Matters Toronto and Community Corner. Donation drop-off locations will be announced soon.

With the first day of school being Sept. 4, Tory stressed the urgency of the situation and said the goal is to get donations to parents and children by Monday at the latest.

In addition, Tory commended Bell Media and Newstalk 1010 for their donation of 300 backpacks full of supplies. He asked the media to continue to spread the word and support in kind as well.

“If you need me or anybody else to show up and highlight the generosity of your companies in doing something for these kids and families, I will show up anywhere I have to,” Tory added.

Financial support

The Red Cross is accepting financial donations online at redcross.ca or by phone at 1-800-418-1111.

“I can assure people that these funds will be carefully disbursed by the Red Cross to address some of the unmet basic needs of these displaced residents,” said Tory.

In addition to individual donations, any groups or organizations wanting to organize a fundraiser for the displaced families are encouraged to connect with the Red Cross as well.

Real estate developer Tridel has donated $5.000 to the fund and Tory said he hoped it would serve an an example for others in the corporate world to step up and contribute to the cause.

Housing support

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, residents have been put up in hotels, but Tory said they cannot be housed there indefinitely.

He thanked friends and families who have been hosting displaced residents in their homes and asked them to continue doing so for a while longer while repairs are made.

In addition, he asked anyone who may have unused basement suites or apartments in their homes or owners of multi-unit buildings to inform the city of their availability.

“Our challenge is … identifying where there are suites that are available,” said Tory. “We need as much of this space as Torontonians from all walks of life can offer.”

People can choose to donate the space or even rent it, with the building landlord taking on the payments.

Anyone who can help in this regard is asked to contact the Office of Emergency Management by emailing oem@toronto.ca or by phone at 416-392-3959.