North York tenants join hundreds of Torontonians striking against above-guideline rent increases

More tenants in Toronto decided to go on rent strike on Sunday, joining hundreds in the city already withholding rent payments in protest of above-guideline rent increases.

More than 100 tenants at 1440 and 1442 Lawrence Avenue W. are nowstriking in hopes their landlord, BarneyRiver Investments,provides immediate and regular pest and bed bug treatment, elevator repairs and disinfection of frequently-touched surfaces in linewith the city's COVID-19 health and safety measures.

"It's too much. It's not manageable. It's not easy," said Addila Safi, who lives inone of the buildings.

The mother of two, who has taken on two jobs to make ends meet, said she's been living there for some 15 years. Her rent increased from$900 to $1,400 in the last few years alone, she said.

"I want them to be fair."

The tenants are joining hundreds of Torontonians that have been rent striking for months, all largely aimed at pushing back againstabove-guideline rent increases andsoaring rents in the city.

Whilethe immediate goal is to get landlords to reverse course on the increases and attend to pressing matters in their buildings, the longer-term goal is a lasting solution from the province, says the York South-Weston Tenants Union, which is helping to organize some of the strikes.

"They have to take seriously our pain," said Yogesh Katri, a recent member of the union.

CBC Toronto has reached out to BarneyRiver Investments for comment.

Building needsmaintenance, repairs, say tenants

After organizing, tenants found out many who raise problems go weeks without hearing back from management, Katri said,

When they do, often the problem doesn't get resolved, he added.

"They are waiting a long and long time, but there's nothing really happening," said Katri.

Mylene Moradasays problems becamepressing when new management took over her building. Since then, bed bugs have become a norm, she said, as well as smelly garbage in the hallways.

No matter how much they complain, little is done,she said.

The union says things have gotten so bad that, at one point, Canada Post put up a noticestating they won't deliver mail to one of the buildings due to health and safety concerns.

"They don't just respond [to anyone]and it's just so frustrating for the tenants," said Morada. "We're paying enough, but I guess the services of the management is lacking."

Rent strikes won't necessarily'fix the problem'

Tenants at 33 King St.,22 John St., and a complex on Thorncliffe Park Drive are also on strike, citingpoor maintenance and above-guideline increases.

LISTEN | Rent strike organizer explains why tenants are banding together:

Metro Morning8:54Why more buildings in the York South Weston neighbourhood have joined a massive rent strike

Bruno Dobrusin is an organizer with the York South Weston Tenant Union.

Former York South-Weston MPP Faisal Hassan, who was present at the strike, said the tenants many of whom are front-line, minimum wage workers and immigrants "need a balancing act."

"They are decent, they're hard working, they have contributed so much. And it's not fair that every year their rent is uncontrollable,"Hassan said.

"All they're asking [for] is a fair, fairrent," said Hassan.

LawyerJordan Donichsays the frequency of rent strikesis telling.

"It's really a symptom of a larger problem, or a failure of the system to really address certain people and their living conditions," said Donich.

Conflictinginterests betweenlandlords and tenants have been exacerbated throughout the years, Donich said. Whilerent strikes can draw attention to the issue, it doesn't mean they're going to solve the root of the problem, he said, as they'll likely just end up before the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Long-term, the solution lies with policy changes, like buildingmore affordable rental housing, he said.

"Really what we need is leadership from the government," said Donich.