The owner of a Chatham apartment building where tenants are being asked to leave for renovations is defending the decision.
Residents of Terrace Forty were given notices earlier this month that they would have to leave by the end of March due to asbestos.
Each was given the option to move back after eight months of work, with no guarantee of keeping their current rent, or terminate their lease for $5,000.
The vast majority of tenants have decided to fight back, claiming the renovations are being done only to increase rents.
Rex Brondial, the President and Owner of Ontario Real Estate Service, told CK News Today this is not true.
"If we don’t fix our buildings, we’re slumlords. If we do fix them up, we’re greedy. We’re just trying to upgrade our buildings and survive. We have welcomed all the tenants back after the asbestos and lead is removed and the units [have been] upgraded, yet we’re still treated like we’re the bad guys," read a statement from Brondial.
He also explained that they have no plans on raising the rent.
"Of course they don’t have to pay more. It’s printed on all the notices we’ve served to the tenants. No one in the media will print this because it doesn’t align with the socialist mind virus that 90 per cent of Canadians have," added Brondial.
Jeff Wilkins, a paralegal with the Chatham-Kent Legal Clinic, continues to fight back these claims.
When it comes to rent, Wilkins said the notices don't say that the tenants can return at their previous rate. He believes this was left out to hopefully entice more people to take the $5,000 payment. Wilkins explained that it would be illegal to raise the rent, but only people familiar with the real estate market would know that.
He also has issue with the renovations. This is because there was no sudden discovery of asbestos, as it's been common knowledge among residents for years. Health Canada also states that asbestos poses no significant health risks when left undisturbed.
Wilkins added forcing people to leave for eight months is unreasonable.
Another issue Wilkins has is Brondial's history of renovictions. In 2024, people living at Aspen Towers in Ottawa received similar notices after the building was purchased by Brondial.
The notices given to Terrace Forty tenants also included the wrong address. Instead, it mentioned 70 Devonshire, a building in Tillsonburg where tenants were also recently given notices to leave due to renovations.
CK News Today has been unable to confirm whether Brondial owns that building.
In his statement, Brondial directed potential backlash elsewhere.
"The socialist agenda has ruined our housing in Canada, and until common sense returns, expect for things to get worse for every Canadian," he explained "[Everyone] should ask themselves, why has Canada gone from the 3rd wealthiest nation in the world to 28th? It's because politicians have allowed socialism into schools and government policy. Let's continue to call housing providers 'lords,' and keep funding gender studies and the Beatles in our universities, while other countries focus on engineering and math. Perhaps next year we’ll be the 35th poorest on the list."
Meanwhile, Wilkins plans to meet with tenants on Tuesday to help them with paperwork to fight back against the notices.
