‘Like hell’: Over 350 condo units without AC for months as residents struggle with heat
Posted July 27, 2023 6:23 pm.
Last Updated July 27, 2023 6:42 pm.
As a heat wave envelops Toronto and the surrounding GTA, with temperatures only set to increase on Friday, residents of a west-end condominium are without air conditioning and dealing with sweltering conditions in the heart of summer.
The condominium is at 33 Shore Breeze Drive in the Lakeshore Boulevard West and Park Lawn Road area in Etobicoke. There are 381 units that have been without air conditioning since the end of June.
Residents have cracked open windows and allowed their balcony doors to stay open with hopes of generating as much airflow as possible, but it’s been an ineffective attempt at cooling down.
“It’s like hell; it’s so hot,” said condo resident Farhad. “We open up all of our windows, but it’s still hot because it’s so humid. I have a three-month-old, and we don’t know what to do.”
Farhad tells CityNews he takes his newborn daughter on frequent walks to escape the heat, but it offers little relief.
“She keeps crying. She can’t sleep at night. I go to the management to ask what’s happening… there’s no answer.”
RELATED: Hot, muggy day on the way as stifling GTA heatwave continues
Environment Canada issued a heat warning on Tuesday and has been in place ever since, with the weather agency cautioning for extreme temperatures on Friday and a humidex making it feel more like 40 C.
Environment Canada listed ways to stay safe, including staying in a cool place. That’s currently impossible for members of the condo.
Credit: Toronto Humane Society.
“I am working outside. Even my laptop, I went to the lake to work because I can’t handle it inside,” said Amir, another resident.
Hassan tells CityNews his unit is particularly sweltering as it gets direct sunlight. He, too, says he’s been having a difficult time sleeping in the current conditions.
“It’s harming our bodies, our work,” Hassan said, acknowledging that some other residents needed to be treated at the hospital.
“We had to stay at my friend’s place for a few days. It’s been crazy.”
To make matters more challenging, the indoor pool at the condo has been closed for over a year. Hassan said that functioning hot water has also been an issue raised with the condo’s building manager to no avail.
“The management is not doing anything. They keep saying parts are coming from the U.S. We don’t see any action.”
Nicholas Chirametli, President of City Sites Property Management, tells CityNews that they understand the hardship residents are currently experiencing, noting the failure of the condo’s air conditioning system.
“The corporation has been making every effort to restore air conditioning services to the property as quickly as possible and continues to do so by working collectively with its engineering and mechanical service providers,” Chirametli said.
Amir said he’s been told it will take around a month to fix.
“I feel like I am in a third-world country, to be honest,” Amir said. “I don’t know how people are surviving here. It’s really hot.
Environment Canada noted in its alert that hot and humid air could also bring deteriorating air quality and can result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high-risk category.
The weather agency said areas near the lakes can expect to remain cooler than areas inland.
