Tenants voice concerns during multi-day power outage in sweltering heat wave

A mixed-use complex near Bloor and Dundas streets was without power for almost three days this week following a fire that impacted its main electrical system. (Photo supplied)

Tenants at 2350 and 2360 Dundas Street West are on their third day without power – the second extended blackout to scourge the apartment complex in under six months.

Tenants at The Crossways residential complex lost power at approximately 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. On Friday morning, a representative from the property management company said power would likely be restored at 1 p.m. on Friday.

It’s the second major power outage to hit the building in 2023, after a blackout in May left tenants without power, heat and hot water due to an electrical fire near the complex’s electrical system.

“The building is trying to shirk itself of any responsibility,” one tenant told CP24 in light of this week’s power outage, requesting anonymity out of fear of reprisal from their landlord. “They’re trying to blame the city. There hasn’t been much clear communication as to why this keeps happening – if anything, they were more communicative last time.”

Tenants who spoke to CP24 said the building’s competitive rent prices make it impossible to move, despite the increasingly frequent power concerns.

“I’m not going to be able to find this amount of space for the same amount of money in Toronto,” one tenant said. “I’m not in a financial position where that’s possible. It’s not realistic in light of the housing situation in the city.”

Tenants at The Crossways say they were not compensated for spoiled food or other expenses during the last power outage, and the property management has not yet offered compensation for this week’s blackout.

“I’m more interested in pursuing compensation this time around,” one tenant said. “Twice in four months is harder to forgive…there are older people in this building, people with respiratory issues. They have a responsibility to put robust infrastructure in place to prevent this from happening.”

Corporate representatives from The Crossways were unable to be reached for additional comment on the cause of the outage or future compensation for tenants.