The water rushed into Hazel Thomas’ unit one summer night in 2021.
During a storm, the roof of her Mississauga apartment building was under construction and half of the structure flooded. The rain exposed asbestos, damaging residents’ belongings and forcing them to seek shelter with family and friends.
Displaced residents are still waiting for repairs to be completed by the landlord at 2111 Roche Ct., and their main question remains unanswered: When can they return home?
After the flood, Thomas and her son moved in with another son who also rents in the same building. Both sons have been sleeping on the couch since then.
“I’m their mother, but they need their space back, and I need mine too,” Thomas said.
Her husband, who has dementia, had been living there as well, but the crowded living conditions worsened his illness.
“He became ill in this environment, but he is in a better place now,” Thomas told CityNews. “I am grateful because this is not the right place for him to be.”
According to Marcia Bryan, a member of the national anti-poverty group ACORN, the flooding in the older building is due to negligence and ongoing plumbing and infrastructure issues.
“There is no accountability,” Bryan said. “The landlord blames the city, and the city blames the landlord, so they are passing the responsibility back and forth while the tenants are left in limbo.”
A building permit for the necessary renovations was issued in 2022. By law, construction must begin within one year of permit issuance.
“According to our records, construction is ongoing and progressing, with several inspections completed,” said City of Mississauga spokesperson Irene McCutcheon. However, “the city has no control over the rate of construction progress or completion.”
Thomas has noticed construction materials being delivered to her damaged unit but fears her family will have to endure several more months of uncertain renovations without a clear timeline or move-in date from the building’s management.
“I cannot afford to move out because the cost of living is so high,” she said. “I wish I could just to escape this situation, but it is not financially feasible for me.”
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