First Nation ignored mould complaints, says Teslin couple

Whitney Horne and John Peters Jr. have not been in good healthin recent years.

"We've been in and out of the doctor's office and hospital, and just really feeling unwell," Horne said."Chest pains for myself, sore throat, headaches."

The Teslin couple believes they know the cause of their problems mould in their low-income housing unit. And they feel their landlord the Teslin Tlingit Council has ignored the problem for too long.

"We would report the concerns. We would let them know we couldn't even stay in our bedroom, it smelled so mouldy, and our breathing problems and all our health issues. And we pointed out where all the musty smells were coming from, and nothing was ever followed up on," Horne said.

"We thought, well, we don't really want to complain very much becauseyou know, we're grateful for any housing but not when it's making us sick."

It concerns me big-time that we were still living in there up until just a week ago.- Whitney Horne

Horne says they persisted with their complaints, and eventually a local safety inspector advocated for them and helped get things moving.

In a statement, the Teslin councilsays test results came back in August indicatingmould on the main floor of the home.

Horne and Peters say they were put up in a local hotel 10 days ago, and the First Nation saysa "mould abatement team" addressed the problem in their unit.

"The health and safety of citizens is [the council's]primary focus for this reason these citizens have been relocated until the issues have been resolved," the statement says.

"Air quality tests were done again which are currently at the lab for processing.Our department is investigating this building to recommend a course of action."

Nobody from the Teslin Tlingit Councilwas available for an interview.

'A band-aid job'

Horne and Peters are still wondering why it took so long, and they worrythat any work done now may be little more than a "band-aid job." They say there are other problems with the home as well, including mice and squirrels that get inside.

They also say they never received a copy of the air quality test results from their home.

"It concerns me big-time that we were still living in there up until just a week ago, even though they were aware that the air quality wasn't acceptable for people to be present. And it worries me too that our neighbours are still in there," Horne said.

The First Nation confirms that residents are still staying in the building's other two housing units.

One of those residents, Peter Jules, says he also has mould in his homeand he believes it's given him health problems as well. He also says his place is infested with rodents.

"The place should be torn down, if you ask me," Jules said. "Not a damn thing has been done in my place. And I've lived there for16 years."