Toronto ACORN Tenant Speakout at 5 & 15 Harding Ave
Posted June 15, 2023
Toronto ACORN had an awesome tenant speak out yesterday in front of 5 Harding Ave and 15 Harding Ave in Weston, owned and managed by Medallion Corporation. Close to 20 people came out to share their issues and file complaints!
Toronto ACORN has been consistently organising in Medallion buildings across the city. Medallion is claiming to deal with all maintenance concerns. Tenants have a range of issues such as cockroach infestations, no security, broken fridges and stoves, elevators not working, general lack of repair & maintenance work, etc.
Building security was out, which tenants noted was a remarkable sight, as there is usually no building security — security for a tenant speakout but not for when all their packages are being stolen or when people are defecating in the stairwells.
Tenants dropped two banners on a balcony that overlooked the front entrance, one that read “MEDALLION = ROACHES” and another that read “PEOPLE OVER PROFIT.” The building superintendent confronted the tenant at her unit and demanded that if she didn’t take the banners down from her own balcony, he would call the police and have her charged.
Tenants filled out work order request forms and attempted to deliver those with a demand letter to Medallion’s corporate office but building security entered an emergency code on their phone that locked down Medallion’s entire floor. Although only one elevator has been working at 5 Harding for ages, all three elevators at the Medallion office were operational, save for the third floor shutdown.
Medallion claims to be open to addressing tenant complaints, but when tenants air their grievances they are threatened with police, and when tenants try to meet with their landlord their landlord slams the emergency alarm. Tenants will keep fighting for justice and are more determined than ever!
If you are in Toronto and have issues in your unit/building and the landlord is ignoring your complaints, file a complaint through 311. There’s more information available through this link.
If you’re still struggling, and want to get organised and start fighting back — join ACORN! Weston contact is fieldto@acorncanada.org to get involved, or call our Toronto office at 416 461 9233!