June 23, 2022 | For Immediate Release
Following is a comprehensive communication from Minto on June 23 in response to the Residents of High Park Village CEASE AND DESIST and includes two parts; an email from Charlsey Brunne, Director, Residential Property Operations and a statement from Minto’s lawyer Martin P. Zarnett. Use the links below to jump to each section.
Residents of High Park Village
255 Glenlake Ave
Toronto, ON
M6P 2P2
Attn:
Karen Jones, Property Manager, Minto High Park, Minto Apartment REIT
Paul Baron, Senior Vice President of Operations, Minto Apartment REIT
Stephen Marshall, Vice President Operations, Minto Apartment REIT
CC:
hpvatyourservice@minto.com
Glen MacMullin, Chief Investment Officer, Minto Apartment REIT
Bhutila Karpoche, MPP, Parkdale-High Park
Gord Perks, Toronto City Councillor, Parkdale-High Park
Séamus Gearin, President, High Park Tenants’ Association
Julia Stewart, Vice-President, High Park Tenants’ Association
Jocelyn Reyes Midghall, Building Issues Liaison, High Park Tenants’ Association
Minto’s June 23 Response to Our Six Asks
Hello again,
As indicated in our email communication last week, we enclose a response from our legal representative to your communication sent on June 14, 2022 regarding the balcony waterproofing project.
As indicated in the enclosed response and our previous email communication, there will be further notice delivered to residents of 255 Glenlake Avenue the week of June 27th. Included in this notice will be confirmed date(s) of Town Hall Meeting(s) as well as what we hope will be further clarification as to the nature of the balcony waterproofing work and scheduling as well as the various areas of support Minto has available for residents.
Best regards,
Charlsey
Charlsey Brunne
Director, Residential Property Operations
MINTO PROPERTIES
600 – 4101 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M2P 1N6
T 416.915.3802
A division of The Minto Group
The Statement from Minto’s Lawyer Martin P. Zarnett
June 23, 2022 | PDF Version
Good day Residents of High Park Village,
Re: Minto Apartment REIT, 255 Glenlake Avenue, Toronto
I am the lawyer for Minto Apartment REIT (Minto). Your June 14, 2022 communication has been referred to the writer for response.
Our client has, in response to your communication as well as other representations made by other Tenants and their representatives, agreed to delay the commencement date of the necessary work to the balconies in the building to on or about August 2, 2022 or thereafter.
Our client has delivered and posted the appropriate notices on the Tenant Notification Boards in the building. Our client denies the allegations made in your communication. However, Minto will continue to communicate with all Tenants in relation to this as well as future programs to restore and maintain the building(s). I am not going to answer each and every one of the allegations that has been made in your letter as I believe that it is more productive to advise you of Minto’s plans going forward.
With respect to your “Six Asks”, we confirm that Minto will be scheduling a Town Hall meeting where all residents will be invited. We are hopeful that this will be a productive meeting so that all Tenants will be able to ask their questions.
As stated above, our client has the right to complete work in a residential complex and not to be obstructed by Tenants in the building. If Tenants obstruct our client with the completion of necessary work, our client reserves its rights pursuant to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) as well as reserving its rights to claim damages against any Tenant that might interfere with work in the building. Our client has and will continue to comply with the provisions of the RTA and all regulations. The commencement date of the work will not be delayed further and the work will start on or about August 2, 2022 or shortly thereafter.
Our client will be delivering a further detailed resident communication the week of June 27, 2022 that will set out in greater detail the upcoming work. As you may know, construction of this nature must be completed while weather is favourable. This type of outside work is subject to delays, postponements and other contingencies as a result of weather, supply of construction personnel and materials.
The communication that will be sent over the next 2 weeks by our client will set out some of the steps that Minto has already arranged to minimize the effect of the work on Tenants and residents of the building; including offering non-exclusive quiet suites, rest areas in our client’s air conditioned lobby as well as the provision of oscillating fans to those Tenants who may require air circulation within their unit. Further details will be provided in our client’s communications.
Our client has arranged for common on site secure storage for balcony items that Tenants request be stored while the work is ongoing. The details of this common on-site storage will be set out in our client’s upcoming communication. Our client does not have sufficient lockers in the building to provide lockers to every Tenant.
With respect to any request for compensation, our client will not be considering any such request. The law relating to residential tenancies in Ontario strikes a balance so as not to penalize Landlords who are proactive in repairing and maintaining their buildings. Accordingly, even though your balcony may be closed temporarily, and you may be disturbed by the necessary work, our client will not be offering any compensation as a result of such work that our client will be undertaking now or in the future.
Our client looks forward to working with the Residents of High Park Village cooperatively during this restoration program as well as other restoration programs that will be rolled out in the months and years ahead.
Going forward, please communicate directly with our client.
Yours truly,
ZARNETT LAW
Professional Corporation
Martin P. Zarnett
MPZ/cll
cc. Minto Apartment REIT