Tuesday 20 December 2016

Thank You For Being a Holiday Angel

Grace St. John and her holiday helper ‘elves’ are very grateful for all tenants who attended the December 18 holiday gathering and fundraiser at 2 Park Vista.

Thanks to many very caring Park Vista tenants, $220 was raised and 59 gifts were donated to a local women’s shelter to help needy families this holiday. The shelter staff were overwhelmed by the generosity and gave big hugs to all.

A heartfelt thanks for everyone for all the donations, delicious goodies and coming out for a holiday chat with your neighbours. Although it was a bit of a last-minute event, it was well worth the effort.

Thanks to volunteers Carole, Elly, Dee, Toby, Paul St. John, and all volunteer bakers/foodies and toy donors for making this event a success. 
Loading up the 'sled' for a special delivery
Neighbours catch up on holiday chats

'Tis the season to take selfies

A tiny tenant and mom Erin check out the crowd.



Saturday 17 December 2016

Cold Apartment? Fight For Your Right to Heat

Tenants' Rights to Adequate Heat 

The Park Vista Tenants' Association is aware that some tenants have raised concerns about cold apartments. This post provides information about tenants' rights to adequate heat and what steps to take if your unit is cold. 

Toronto's Minimum Temperature Requirement

Under the Toronto Municipal Code, landlords are required to provide heat and maintain a minimum temperature of 21°C between September 15 and June 1. 

Ontario Rules Regarding Building Conditions 

Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) says that landlords must:
  • keep their rental housing in a "good state of repair and fit for habitation"
  • follow all applicable housing standards
This means that landlords must make sure that heating systems – things like furnaces, boilers, thermostats, ducts, and radiators – are working properly.

It also means that they must correct other problems that can cause an apartment to be too cold, such as:
  • windows that don't close properly
  • drafts from doorways and other openings
  • poor insulation
Steps to Take if Your Apartment is Cold 
  1. Get a thermometer
  2. Record the temperature in various rooms of your apartment and keep a log
  3. The temperature readings need to be taken in the middle of a room, about three feet off the ground
  4. Once you have proof the temperature is below 21 degrees, submit a work order to CAPREIT and keep a copy. (It's a good idea to scan a copy of the work order or take a photo before you drop it off and follow up by emailing the scanned copy or photo of the work order to 8ParkVista@capreit.net Ask CAPREIT to confirm the work order was received.)
  5. If CAPREIT doesn't act within a reasonable time, you can submit a complaint to the City of Toronto by calling 311 or emailing 311@toronto.ca
While the Park Vista Tenants' Association is interested in hearing from tenants who have heating problems (to try to identify any patterns in buildings and find out which tenants are using heaters), the association has no legal power to force the landlord to comply with property standards requirements.

As a first step, you must deal with the landlord directly. If that doesn't resolve the problem, you can contact the City of Toronto. Enforcement staff will ask what steps you have taken to bring the problem to the landlord's attention before escalating the issue. 

Tenants at a CAPREIT building at 75 Eastdale Ave. (near True Davidson Acres) held a protest earlier this year to complain about inadequate heat. You can read more about the situation at the following link:

We hope this information has been helpful. 

Wishing you a safe, happy and warm holiday season. 

Maryanna Lewyckyj, President
Park Vista Tenants' Association



Sunday 11 December 2016

Toy Drive Tops 2015 Tally

The Park Vista Tenants’ Association is very grateful for all the wonderful gifts that were donated by generous tenants at our Dec. 10 Toy Drive.

We had over 75 toys donated and more than 30 tenants came out to support the drive, chat and enjoy baked treats and refreshments. Tenants also got tips on having a greener Christmas from our recycling ambassador Maureen Ballentine.

The toys were taken to Donway Ford, a local drop-off location for the Salvation Army’s
Toy MountainFrom there they will be distributed across the city to families in need.


Thanks to volunteers Maureen Ballentine, Elly Baptie, Gordon Cherry, Hunter, Colleen LeBlanc, Maryanna Lewyckyj, Patricia Steward, all volunteer bakers and toy donors and CAPREIT staff (Aurora and Cristian Voicu and Santa (a.k.a. Jesse) for making this event a success. 
Hunter, Elly, Maureen, Maryanna and Santa (a.k.a Jesse) with donations.

Maryanna and Patricia present the toys to Donway Ford for delivery to Toy Mountain.

Volunteers and one excited young tenant. 

Sleep-deprived Santa poses with a recent special delivery.

The toys begin to pile up. 

Tenants sampled a variety of tasty treats. 

Wednesday 7 December 2016

Toy Drive - Saturday, December 10, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Park Vista Holiday Toy Drive
Saturday, December 10
6 Park Vista – Lobby
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Enjoy a selection of baked treats
Make the holidays brighter for a needy child by donating a new, unwrapped gift.
All toys will be delivered to
Toy Mountain!

(If you can’t make it on Dec. 10, email
   to arrange to have your gift picked up)