June 17, 2022 | For Immediate Release | PDF Version
Minto High Park
111 Pacific Ave
Toronto, ON
M6P 2P2
Attn:
Charlsey Brunne, Director of Residential Property Operations, Minto Properties Inc.
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
Re CEASE AND DESIST: Minto’s Forced Balcony Closures at 255 Glenlake Ave Proceeding with Only 19-Days Notice
The “Residents of High Park Village” group (RoHPV), acknowledge the message received from Minto’s High Park Village (MintoHPV) on June 151 in response to our cease and desist letter2 delivered to you on June 14.
In our cease and desist letter, we respectfully requested a written response from MintoHPV, both to confirm that they will cease commencement of this work, and to provide a response to the RoHPV’s “Six Asks” (supported by more than 230 residents) by no later than Thursday, June 16 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
In MintoHPV’s response on June 15, Minto confirmed its decision to “delay the start of the balcony waterproofing project at 255 Glenlake until August 2, 2022 or shortly thereafter.”
We understand this as an acknowledgement that Minto’s November 18, 2021 communication3 did not meet the requirements for proper notice and that they now view the June 3 communication4 to be a proper notice under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA).
MintoHPV is providing only 60 days from the June 3 communication. Considering that this is the minimum required notice under the RTA, we do not take this to be a gesture of goodwill to residents or an appropriate response to their concerns. We consider this as simply an acknowledgement that MintoHPV will now comply with the law, in accordance with their view that the June 3 communication constitutes proper notice.
Given the numerous failures in the planning of this project outlined in our letter, we believe that the 46 days that remain will be insufficient time for Minto to properly reevaluate, replan and execute this project in a way that addresses residents’ significant and legitimate concerns. MintoHPV has lost the trust and confidence of its residents and must do much more than the minimum required by law in order to regain it.
Additionally, Minto has expressed appreciation and acknowledgment of our “requests and recommendations made with respect to tenant communication regarding this project.” The response does not acknowledge any failures on MintoHPVs’ behalf and it does not provide any assurance that Minto will correct those failures. We interpret the specificity of that statement (“with respect to tenant communication”) to indicate that Minto views their failure to provide proper notice to be the only legitimate concern raised by residents.
In our cease and desist letter, we respectfully asked Minto for a written response not only confirming that they will cease commencement of this work, but additionally to respond to the ‘Six Asks’ outlined by RoHPV and supported by more than 230 residents. By postponing the project, Minto has responded to only one of these six ‘asks’, all while providing the least possible notice required in order to comply with law, in accordance with their view as of the June 3 communication as legal and proper notice.
In a show of good faith, RoHPV will extend the deadline provided for your complete and detailed written response to our “Six Asks” to no later than Friday, June 24 at 5:00 p.m. ET. by email to hello@rohpv.com.
In the absence of a complete and satisfactory response, we will continue to pursue other avenues to bring attention to this breach of trust from one of the city’s most well-regarded property management companies.
Sincerely,
Jordan Wan
255 Glenlake Avenue
Lisa Timoshenko
255 Glenlake Avenue
Referenced Documents
1. MintoHPV CEASE AND DESIST response, June 15, 2022
https://rohpv.com/cease-and-desist-response
2. RoHPV CEASE AND DESIST to Minto Apartment, June 14, 2022
https://rohpv.com/cease-and-desist
3. MintoHPV 2022 Capital Improvements Communication, November 18, 2021
https://rohpv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Minto-Apartments-Capital-Improvement-Projects-Communication-1-November-18-2021.pdf
4. MintoHPV Balcony Waterproofing Project Update, June 3, 2022
https://rohpv.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Minto-Apartments-Balcony-Waterproofing-Project-Communication-3-June-3-2022.pdf