Parkdale tenants still fighting for use of air conditioners amid sweltering temperatures

Toronto residents have been struggling with sweltering weather conditions across the city over the last week while some are still fighting for use of their air conditioners.

Over a month after CityNews spoke with residents in 130 Jameson Avenue, they are still fighting their landlord over the use of air conditioning units.

The Myriad Group, the building’s owner, had sent notices to dozens of tenants threatening eviction, stating they weren’t allowed to “use appliances other than what is supplied by the landlord” and they either needed to remove air conditioners or pay extra fees for hydro.

Cindy Therrien, a tenant at 130 Jameson Ave is using her A/C unit and is refusing to pay extra for its use. “Yesterday, it was 31.9 C and then I turned the air on and then it started to gradually come down and stayed about 27 C, which, to me, is still too hot.”

According to Environment Canada, temperatures reached 33.9 C on Sunday without the humidex.

“I feel sick. I can’t even eat. I don’t even want to drink and being diabetic, [I’m] pushing my luck,” Therrien told CityNews.

Currently, the Residential Tenancies Act says there needs to be a minimum temperature of 20 degrees in the winter, but there is no law for a maximum temperature in the summer.

She said some tenants have taken their units out and others are too scared to turn them on. “We were told by the community group [to] use your air conditioner. Don’t put your health at risk. So that’s what I’m doing.”

“There’s a lot of us in here with breathing issues. So we’re the ones that are really using it a lot.”

Dr. Andrew Boozary, the executive director of Health and Social Policy at the University Health Network, said this summer is creating a “perfect storm” for those just trying to survive in poverty.

“For people who are doing all that they can over the last few years, now faced with this in the summer of whether they are without air conditioning or having difficulty affording to keep it on.”

He said it’s another public health crisis affecting residents.

“We’re seeing this in terms of having a real impact on a variety of health conditions. Whether it’s about heart failure, respiratory disease, asthma. We know this can affect children as well breathing in terms of the breathing.”

Dr. Boozary said policymakers need to take real action in terms of poverty relief in order to help people in this situation.

“We need to be addressing the income and living wage issue. People being able to afford access to air-conditioning. We also know that this is an issue for people who can’t afford or without stable housing,” explained Dr. Boozary.

“One of the things I’ve faced with in my own practice is people needing these supports to get access to air-conditioning. Whether they’re in community housing on social assistance and for many without, I don’t know how people have been fairing.”

Just last month, a review of Toronto’s “heat relief strategy” was brought up at City Hall.

One of the recommendations brought forward was a possible subsidy program for AC units or fans for low-income tenants but it was decided that it would only be considered as part of future changes.

“For people who are complaining about the heat, can you imagine being without these basic rights to air-conditioning or a safe place to stay and having to take a number of medications or having a number of medical conditions?” asked Dr. Boozary.