An Entire Toronto Building Finally Beat Their 'Renoviction' After Months Of Fighting
And, they stay.
A hard-fought battle has ended in victory for a group of Toronto tenants who rallied together after receiving eviction notices last month.
According to Parkdale Organize, a neighbourhood group that fights displacement, rent increases, and disrepair, residents of 12 Lansdowne in Parkdale, Toronto received confirmation last week that their landlords had withdrawn the N13 eviction notices against them.
The months-long battle started in January when the tenants first received notices from their landlords' citing "extensive renovations to their rental units."
The residents were also served N5 and N6 eviction notices for illegal acts after hanging banners from their balconies in protest.
The landlords, Evan Johnsen and Neil Spiegel are the directors of 795 College Inc. and have a history of pushing tenants out of their homes for renovations.
The company was fined twice in 2019 for a total of $135,000 after failing to allow tenants to move back in after renovations.
The tenants alleged that the landlords were attempting to partner with a non-profit organization to raise rents on vacant units after clearing out the building, whom they convinced not to work with Johnsen and Spiegel.
"Despite the landlords' attempts to single tenants out and to pick them off one by one, tenants remained united. Our neighbours at 12 Lansdowne know that organizing is what enables them to defend their homes," the group said.
Narcity reached out to Spiegel for comment, but they did not respond in time for publication.
For now, it seems things have reached a resolution for both parties.