Residents of a west-end Toronto apartment building are gearing up for a rent strike in response to their landlord's proposal for a retroactive rent increase for 2025, which would exceed five percent. Luz Flores, a tenant at 75 Spencer Avenue in the Parkdale neighbourhood, stated that many residents, who primarily comprise middle-class workers, seniors, and retirees, simply cannot sustain a 5.4 percent increase.
Flores emphasized the collective nature of their action, saying, “We’re going through with withholding the rent payment on March 1 until MetCap withdraws the above-guideline rent increase.” The rising cost of living in Toronto further compounds the issue, as tenants must also manage other financial obligations.
The maximum permitted rent increase for rent-controlled buildings in Ontario for 2025 is set at 2.5 percent. However, landlords can petition the Landlord and Tenant Board for above-guidelines increases (AGIs) to finance building renovations and improvements, which are capped at three percent annually. MetCap Living has requested a 2.9 percent AGI for 2025, but a hearing date for this application has not yet been established.
Fjoralba Jano, the property manager for MetCap, affirmed that the company will comply with the board's decision and will not collect the proposed AGI until then, despite notifying tenants of the intended increase. Flores recounted that when she moved into her two-bedroom apartment over 20 years ago, her rent was just $500—a figure that has since soared to over $1,200, which she considers exorbitant despite being lower than the market rate.
A 5.4 percent increase could cost Flores an additional $66 per month, which is a significant sum for her. Recent tenants like Mahmoud Ahmed Abdellatif, who pays $2,180 monthly, would see an increase of $117, making the situation even more challenging. Abdellatif voiced his concerns about the building's poor living conditions, including issues like broken tiles and pests, claiming, “Where’s our rent and money that should be actually destined for fixing stuff in the building… because we can’t see anything being fixed.”
In response, Jano stated, “I am unaware of any work orders being received from residents that are not in the process of being completed,” assuring that repairs would be addressed based on residents' concerns. However, tenants feel that recent renovations, such as upgrading the lobby and converting an office into a rental unit, have not contributed to their living conditions, leading them to question why they should bear the financial burden of these improvements through rent increases.
Moreover, tenants and activists fear that MetCap might seek additional AGIs for its other buildings in Parkdale in the future. Bryan Doherty, a member of the Parkdale Organize group advocating for tenants, noted that the current situation is a test for the landlord, stating, “What people at 75 Spencer recognized is that if (the landlord is) successful with this one, there’s literally nothing stopping them from applying for consecutive AGIs.”
The management of MetCap asserts that this is the first AGI application for 75 Spencer Avenue since acquiring the building 18 years ago, though Jano did not dismiss the possibility of future increases. She mentioned that MetCap has relief programs available for residents struggling with rent, offering options for partial or full relief from AGI arrears.
A history of rent strikes in Parkdale showcases the tenants' resolve. In 2017, tenants in over 300 units protested against AGIs from MetCap, leading to negotiations and a resolution outside the Landlord and Tenant Board process after three months of withholding rent. Cole Webber, a community legal worker, noted that this collective action deterred MetCap from pursuing AGIs in the subsequent years and instilled caution in other landlords in the area.
Currently, 38 units at 75 Spencer Avenue have committed to the rent strike, representing a “super majority” of the tenants. The trend of rent strikes has seen significant traction in Toronto before, with recent examples including a group of residents on Thorncliffe Park Drive and others who successfully withheld rent for extended periods to secure better living conditions.
Doherty expressed optimism about the potential impact of the latest rent strike, citing a supportive community and a strong likelihood of participation among tenants. The precedents of successful tenant actions in Parkdale bolster the current group’s confidence as they prepare to challenge the proposed rent increase.
