TORONTO -- Residents of 235 Gosford Blvd. who were displaced by a massive blaze last month, voiced their frustrations and anger at a meeting on Wednesday night over the lack of communication from the landlord.
The meeting comes following Tuesday’s news conference by the tenants’ lawyer, who said that the building’s management company Ronkay Management Inc. had told tenants they would need to find their own accommodations at the start of the New Year.
Tenants packed a room at Driftwood Community Centre for the meeting organized by a number of local organizations.
The residents spoke about their concerns regarding the uncertainty of their future. As well, some shared what their lives have been like since the fire.
A five-alarm blaze broke out at the building, located near Jane and Sheppard, on Nov. 15, killing one man and injuring six others.
Damage from the fire made the building uninhabitable. Mayor John Tory previously said it would likely take months before around 700 tenants can return.
Vanessa Watkins, a tenant of the building, said she didn’t feel any better following the meeting as she did not get the answers to her questions.
“I don’t know what the next steps come Jan. 1,” said Watkins, who has been living with family since the blaze.
Watkins said she also frustrated about not being allowed to enter her apartment.
For Watkins, she said the most important thing right now is to get answers directly from the landlord, especially on how long they will be out of their units.
Another resident, Selina, said she lost everything in the fire, including her children’s baby pictures.
“I just want them to do something to help us,” she said, adding that the management had only communicated with her once.
Her neighbour in the building, Samantha, said some days she wakes up crying.
“It’s very miserable,” she said. “It’s so challenging.”
Samantha said she believes the management is trying, but they need to step up and give the support they need, especially since it’s the holidays.
Tory said on Tuesday that while he believes there may be miscommunication between the landlord and the tenants, he plans to continue to be an “advocate” for the residents of the building.
In a Facebook page set up for the residents, the management posted that their top priority is to get everyone back into their homes as soon as possible.
“Our team has been doing our best to provide pertinent information to allow clients to make informed decisions. Every family and every unit faces different challenges. We want to work with everyone to find solutions that meet their unique needs,” the post read.
“We promise to get back to everyone as soon as we can.”
