City News Toronto: Tenants in Golden Equity-managed building in Scarborough say conditions are ‘inhumane’

Tenants at a Golden Equity–managed apartment building on Markham Road in Scarborough are speaking out about what they call inhumane living conditions — citing persistent disrepair, pest infestations, and a lack of response from both the landlord and the City. ACORN members in the building report widespread issues: mold, mice, cockroaches, broken fixtures, water damage, and ceilings at risk of collapse. Despite submitting repeated maintenance requests, tenants say they’ve been ignored.

“Heather,” a longtime tenant living with chronic illness, described how the conditions have impacted her health and family. “My kids moved out because of the mice. I have to bleach my counters constantly. This is not how anyone should have to live.” Her partner, Jonathan, recently joined ACORN Canada to organize with fellow tenants and push for accountability. After surveying over 100 units, he found that many other tenants were facing the same conditions — and feeling just as abandoned. “There’s no dignity in how we’re treated. It’s just survival,” he said.

Another tenant, Khadijah, who’s lived in the building for over 30 years, has repeatedly fought for repairs — often receiving no response until ACORN stepped in. She shared that despite her consistent rent payments, her kitchen was left in a state of decay for years. It was only after ACORN submitted a coordinated set of repair demands and involved the City’s RentSafeTO program that repairs were made — though other issues like damaged flooring and flooding still remain unresolved.

ACORN continues to organize Scarborough tenants to demand:

• Timely repairs and maintenance
• Stronger oversight of negligent landlords
• RentSafeTO enforcement with real consequences
• Tenant protections regardless of arrears or ongoing disputes

If you’re a tenant facing similar conditions, Join ACORN and take action with your neighbours. Together, we fight back.