Statements

Much of healthcare in Ontario is publicly funded and privately delivered, including most primary care doctors offices. However, we are seeing a rise in private-for-profit clinics that push extra charges on patients and pursue profit over patient care.

It is a violation of the Ontario’s Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act to charge for a medically necessary OHIP-covered service or to deny a patient an OHIP-covered service because they refuse to pay for a non-covered service. However, many clinics do just that. 

This guide will help you spot for-profit care, avoid unnecessary costs, and feel empowered. 

Most common types of predatory private clinics: 

Profit-Driven Surgical Clinics

• • Push non-OHIP covered upgrades, like more expensive lenses for cataract surgeries, often without informing patients there is a covered option.
  • Scare patients with misleading information about public wait times.
  • Often lack transparency around costs, leading to shocking final bills.

Private Primary Care or “Executive Health Clinics”

• • Lead  by doctors who bill OHIP for services, private doctors, or nurse practitioners.
  • Most charge mandatory yearly fees to access primary care.
  • Most clinics prevent patients from accessing OHIP-billing doctors unless they pay a mandatory fee for non-OHIP services. This is illegal.

Profit-Driven Diagnostic Services

• • Allow patients to avoid waits by paying for an MRI or other OHIP-covered test.
  • It is illegal to charge for these services when they are medically necessary.

Having day surgery outside of a hospital? You may be attending a private, for-profit surgical centre. 

Ask these questions at surgical clinics BEFORE TREATMENT to avoid extra charges: 

• Do you expect there to be extra charges?
• If yes: what are the charges for? Can I opt-out? 
• Can I choose an OHIP-covered option instead?
• Is the non-covered option medically necessary? What benefit will it provide?
• What is the clinical difference between the paid and covered options?
• What is the wait time for OHIP-covered treatment?
  • Private clinics sometimes use “wait times” and faster care as a tactic to encourage patients to pay, even when waits for publicly funded care are short.
  • Check wait times here: ontario.ca/page/wait-times-ontario 
• Will I be asked to make any decisions immediately before treatment? I would like to make them now instead. 
  • Some clinics capitalize on stress immediately before a procedure to push more expensive options. 

Request written documentation about expected charges (if any) before receiving treatment. Keep this document, compare it to any charges you do receive, and be ready to dispute charges with the clinic. If you did not request this document, you can still dispute charges, especially if you find that you have been charged for OHIP-covered services. 

If you believe you have been charged for an insured service or access to an insured service, contact the Ministry of Health by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-888-662-6613

Click here for more information and Examples from the Ontario Health Coalition

July 11, 2025

Mr. Paul Dubé

Ombudsman of Ontario

483 Bay Street

10th Floor, South Tower

Toronto, ON M5G 2C9

Re: Request for Clarification on LTB Investigation Follow-Up and Recommendation Compliance

Dear Mr. Dubé,

I am writing to you in my capacity as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre.  I am writing to request that you provide an update on the implementation of recommendations in your 2023 report, Administrative Justice Delayed, Fairness Denied, about the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB).

My office continues to hear from constituents who are frustrated and harmed by ongoing delays at the LTB.  The LTB backlog remains significantly above pre-2019 levels.  Available data shows that tenant applicants still wait for an average of over 250 days for a hearing.  Before 2019, tenant applicants only had to wait for 40 days. Additionally, the LTB's digital-only model and removal of the right to an in-person hearing limits access to justice.  There has been a dramatic drop in same-day mediation and case resolution rates.  These ongoing problems are making Ontarians lose faith in Ontario's Tribunals system.

Concerningly, Tribunals Ontario and your office report contradictory statistics about which of your recommendations have been implemented. Your 2023/24 Annual Report says that action has been taken on 35 of 61 recommendations.  Meanwhile, Tribunals Ontario claims to have “fully addressed” 79 percent of your recommendations.  The public deserves to know what has actually changed—and what has not.

To help provide transparency for Ontarians, I am writing to ask that your office provide the following:

1. A public clarification on which of your 61 recommendations have been acted upon and which remain outstanding.
2. An explanation of how your office determines when a recommendation has been “addressed” or “fully implemented.”
3. Consideration of Tribunal Watch Ontario’s request that you reopen your investigation due to remaining issues at the LTB.

Ontarians are losing faith in their administrative justice system.  Your office can help restore that trust by ensuring transparency and accountability from Tribunals Ontario. 

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you or your staff to discuss this matter further.  Please do not hesitate to reach my office by calling (416) 972-7683 or emailing [email protected].

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely, 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

Shadow Attorney General

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

120 Carlton Street, Suite 401

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 4K2 

July 11, 2025

Mr. Paul Dubé

Ombudsman of Ontario

483 Bay Street

10th Floor, South Tower

Toronto, ON M5G 2C9

Re: Request for Investigation into Overdue Annual Reports from Ontario Tribunals

Dear Mr. Dubé,

I am writing to request that your office consider investigating the growing pattern of delayed Annual Reports from Ontario’s Tribunals. As you know, Annual Reports support transparency and accountability to Ontarians.  Timely disclosure through Annual Reports is required by Ontario's legislation.  

Annual Reports from the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB), Health Services Appeal and Review Board (HSARB), and Consent and Capacity Board (CCB) remain outstanding for the 2023–2024 fiscal year.  These reports are now more than fifteen months overdue. This means that two annual reports are now owed to the public. Tribunal Watch Ontario, a non-partisan watchdog, has also been unable to obtain an explanation for these delays. I am concerned that this reflects a dangerous trend. I do not want to see bad habits become bad precedents.

This lack of transparency is additionally concerning because of the responsibilities these Boards hold.  These Boards oversee critical decisions in Ontario’s health care and consent regimes.  As the Shadow Attorney General, these report delays are limiting my ability to assess the  accessibility and functionality of these Boards. This runs counter to public interest. . These delays are also preventing watchdogs such as Tribunal Watch Ontario from raising early alarms.  Elected officials, stakeholders, and Ontarians deserve to know how well Ontario's Tribunals are fulfilling their mandates.

Therefore, I am requesting that your office:

1. Investigate the pattern of delayed Annual Reports, such as the ongoing delays in publishing the 2023–2024 Annual Reports for HPARB, HSARB, and CCB;
2. Provide recommendations to ensure that reporting obligations at Tribunals Ontario are consistently met.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you or your staff to discuss this matter further.  Please do not hesitate to reach my office by calling (416) 972-7683 or emailing [email protected].

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely, 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

Shadow Attorney General

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

120 Carlton Street, Suite 401

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 4K2 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP TORONTO CENTRE

May 28, 2025

The Honourable Doug Downey

Attorney General of Ontario

Ministry of the Attorney General

720 Bay Street, 11th Floor

Toronto, ON

M7A 2S9

RE: Request for Extension of Implementation Timelines for Civil Rules Reform

Dear Attorney General Downey,

As you know, on April 1, 2025, Ontario’s Civil Rules Review Working Group made their consultation paper open to public feedback. Their proposed changes have raised serious and consistent concerns from across Ontario's legal community. A sweeping coalition of legal experts are ringing alarm bells that problematic civil rules are being rushed. I am requesting that your Ministry extend the timelines for the proposed civil rules reforms.

The modernization of Ontario's civil rules is welcome. Ontario's civil rules have not faced updates to a similar degree since 1985. The infrequent cadence of these changes is exactly why the Ontario government must get this process right. The proposed changes would have sweeping consequences in Ontario's courts.

The shift between Phase One and Phase Two of this consultation is significant, hasty, and unexplained. For example, Phase One reflected stakeholder feedback and supported maintaining oral discovery. Phase Two called for the elimination of oral discovery — something that I do not believe a single significant stakeholder supports. Phase Two was also critiqued for lacking trauma-informed safeguards. Proposed rules could now force survivors to share sensitive documents with alleged perpetrators. Stakeholders are saying that data and experience from court workers were sidelined in Phase Two. Rushing now could limit access to justice and prevent parties from reaching fair settlements sooner. This could result in more costly avoidable trials — making court backlogs worse. Ontario's legal community has expressed grave concerns and their clear warnings must be heeded for everyone's benefit.

Many legal experts are requesting an extension to save Ontarians time and money in the long run. The proposed implementation date is January 1, 2026. The proposed rules are not yet finalized. After being finalized, new rules must be approved and published. Court workers, judges, and lawyers must then be educated, trained, and ready to operationalize them. January 1, 2026, is an unrealistic timeline given what must still be done. Civil rules changes are too consequential to be rushed.

I echo the calls of legal experts for you and request that the new civil rules be finalized with realistic timeframes and meaningful collaboration with the very stakeholders that are expected to operationalize them. I believe that everyone involved in this process wants Ontario's civil rules modernization to be successful. I know that by listening to legal practitioners, the Ontario government can get this right.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I remain committed and available to work with you to ensure that reforms to our justice system increase access to justice for all Ontarians. I look forward to your response.

Warm regards,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

Shadow Attorney General

120 Carlton Street, Suite 401 

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 4K2

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP TORONTO CENTRE

March 11, 2025

Honourable Jill Dunlop

Ministry of Education

315 Front Street West, 14th Floor   

Toronto, Ontario 

M7A 0B8

RE: Accommodation in Childcare Licensing Regulations Regarding Temporary Outdoor Play Spaces at the St. Lawrence Co-operative Daycare

Dear Minister Dunlop,

I am writing this letter today regarding a significant concern to families in my riding of Toronto Centre. Specifically, the operator and parents of the children attending the St. Lawrence Co-opertive Daycare has come to me facing challenges in complying with the Ministry of Education’s regulations around outdoor play spaces under the Child Care Centre Licensing Manual and the Childcare and Early Years Act (CCEYA). 

As you know, dense urban communities such as ours in Toronto Centre face unique challenges when it comes to finding adequate and safe space for children’s educational and recreational needs. The St. Lawrence Daycare currently operates within the constraints of limited outdoor space, which is not unusual for downtown Toronto when open space is at a premium cost and deficient in quantity. The daycare is seeking to temporarily expand its outdoor play area to accommodate the growing number of children in their care, yet the regulations, particularly the interpretation of the requirement for “permanent” outdoor space, have presented a significant roadblock for the St Lawrence community.

Parents and daycare workers have been in contact with the Ministry’s Interim Program Advisor, Kristal Sotelo. She conveyed to the daycare manager that despite their best efforts, there is no flexibility within the regulations that would allow for a temporary outdoor play space. While the safety and quality of our children’s care should not be considered lightly, this rigidity has halted the expansion and opening of the St. Lawrence’s Daycare outdoor space. This means that dozens of our children are not getting the care they need, and parents are not getting the support they need. Keeping parents and children out of affordable daycare spaces is not in the best interest of the children and families who rely on this essential service. 

The Childcare and Early Years Act (O. Reg. 137/15) does not explicitly require that  "designated spaces" need to be permanent. This legislation, as outlined in Section 24, mandates that outdoor play space must meet certain size requirements, but it does not specify the permanence of ownership or lease agreement or location. The Act allows for Director approval of alternatives, including smaller or non-adjacent outdoor spaces or the use of rotating schedules to accommodate outdoor play, however. Flexibility is key to ensuring that daycare centres in urban areas can continue to provide safe, functional spaces for children. 

Right now, the St. Lawrence Daycare operates under a lease agreement with the City of Toronto that expires in 2027. While this lease is secure for the time being, the daycare’s current outdoor play space is not sufficient to meet the needs of the growing community. Expanding the play area would allow the daycare to accommodate more children and provide a safe and functional space for outdoor play. Due to the Ministry’s staff rigid interpretations of the regulations, this plan cannot be realized unless exceptions are made. 

There has been a growing concern across Ontario about the availability of affordable childcare. We have seen reports of daycares unexpectedly closing, leaving parents scrambling to find alternative care. Many centres are forced to reduce their capacity due to lack of appropriate space. These closures are particularly damaging to families in urban areas like ours, where access to childcare is already limited. 

Given the urgent need for more daycare spaces in our community, I respectfully ask that you review this case and consider making an exception to the regulation. Allowing for a temporary outdoor play space, or providing greater flexibility for daycare centres in urban areas to meet the requirements of the Act, would help ensure that families can continue to rely on daycare services without the added concern of losing their place in line.

For these reasons, I urge you to consider this request and provide a response, as it would have a lasting positive impact on the well-being of children and families in Toronto Centre and other urban ridings facing similar challenges. If you have any additional questions, contact my office at [email protected] or 416-972-7683.

Respectfully submitted, 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

120 Carlton Street, Suite 401

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 4K2 

TORONTO — The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down Doug Ford’s unconstitutional law to limit third party campaign spending. Ford used the notwithstanding law to limit participation from teachers, health care workers, families, labour unions in elections and used taxpayer dollars to continue fighting them in court.

NDP Critic for the Attorney General MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam has released the following statement in response to the ruling:

“Doug Ford is handed yet another defeat in court after he wasted more taxpayer dollars fighting to silence critics and defending unconstitutional laws. Ford is all too quick to pull the trigger on the Notwithstanding clause, especially if it means targeting those impacted the most by his record of bad policies and cuts – like teachers, health care workers, families, unions, and more.

Ontarians deserve a healthy democracy where they can cast an informed ballot. Civil society is a core pillar of Ontario’s democracy that should be allowed to flourish and engage in our elections. This defeat should be a wake-up call for Ford.”

Background note:

The Auditor General’s latest report into government advertising shows $103.5 million spent on government advertising in 2023-24 alone, a significant portion of which was spent on promoting ‘the governing party.’ 

Recently, Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC) in the City of Toronto rejected an application by Graywood Group to develop 506 to 516 Church Street which includes a property currently occupied by the iconic local business Crews and Tangos. 

I applaud City Planning and members of the TEYCC for this decision. Graywood made their original application during my time as City Councillor. Through a working group I convened, community feedback from the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association, Church Wellesley Village BIA and others helped create design revisions for a 14-storey building with special protections for Crews and Tangos that was approved in 2022. These protections created an improved plan that community stakeholders and residents were supportive of. My staff, alongside City Planning, Heritage and Urban Design worked hard to ensure 2SLGBTQI businesses were protected and that the community’s voice was heard. After my time at City Council, Graywood submitted a new 48-storey application that threw away all our hard work. This is a slap in the face to the community members who worked with Graywood to achieve an outcome that everyone agreed to. 

Graywood’s new application is disrespectful to community concerns and 2SLGBTQI businesses in the Village. It looked as though Graywood was trying to take advantage of changes Doug Ford made to the Planning Act, which took it from bad to worse through legislation like Bill 23. 

Let’s be clear about why this application is different: Crews and Tango is Toronto’s local version of a rainbow-drenched statue of liberty for the 2SLGBTQI community in the Church and Wellesley Village. Some of Canada’s and now the world’s biggest drag performers got their start on the stage of Crews and Tango. It is an economic fulcrum for businesses throughout Church Street, not to mention a culturally and emotionally important space where countless community members had their first experiences as out and proud members of the 2SLGBTQI community. We need housing now - so Graywood should just stop wasting time and honour the first application. Build what was approved and honour the agreed-upon protections that allow for 2SLGBTQI business districts to survive and thrive. This development could create economic shockwaves that threaten essential and increasingly precarious Queer and Trans cultural spaces. 

And let us be clear: the rejection of this application by TEYCC does not guarantee the stability of Crews and Tango or other 2SLGBTQI+ businesses in the Church Wellesley Village on its own. I call on Graywood to not appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal out of respect for our community and its businesses. The Ontario Land Tribunal is a dysfunctional, rigged body with a track record of undermining the City of Toronto’s ability to make sound planning decisions. It needs urgent reforms, many of which I proposed in my Bill, the Fixing Ontario Tribunals Backlogs Act. An appeal would be a disrespectful act of bad faith. 

By refusing to adopt ONDP legislation that supports small businesses and promotes the 2SLGBTQI communities, Ford has repeatedly turned his back on commercial rent control, lower rents, transparency in commercial leases, lower small business taxes, tax credits for victims of crime and increased funding for arts and culture. 

Whether it’s pandering to big box retailers during the pandemic, selling off the Greenbelt to developers or providing preferential treatment to foreign spa owners at Ontario Place, the Ford government has continually ignored the economic challenges facing Ontario small businesses. We can’t trust Ford to stand up for Ontarians against Trump tariffs when he’s never stood up for us before. 

I call upon the Ford government to work with the ONDP to create more support for small businesses. A real Team Ontario response would recognize the unique challenges facing 2SLGBTQI businesses like those in the Church and Wellesley Village. Trump’s tariff threats will affect all parts of our economy, and we need a Team Ontario approach that protects every single Ontarian whose job is on the line. 

September 24, 2024

The Honourable David Piccini

Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development

400 University Ave, 14th floor

Toronto, ON   M7A 1T7

RE: Ontario Immigration Nomination Program delayed wait times. 

Dear Minister Piccini, 

Recently my office has received an influx of messages from constituents expressing concerns about the status of their OINP applications due to extreme wait times that well-exceed the ministry’s prescribed average wait times.

In one case, my constituent’s application has been in the decision process for 12 months with only 2 months left on their work permit. You can imagine the distress this is causing and the negative consequence it will bring if they do not receive an outcome soon. 

My question for you is, what is your plan to address the backlog of applications? I urge you to immediately take action to alleviate this issue and support the OINP applicants. 

Thank you for your time and attention to this issue. I look forward to your prompt response that will rectify this problem.

Sincerely,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP Toronto Centre

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

120 Carlton Street. Suite 401

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 4K2

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP TORONTO CENTRE

September 26, 2024

By Email and Post Mail

Samuel Grosz, Owner

Chaim Sachs, General Manager

Owners and Managers of 77 Howard Street 

Wellesley Parliament Square (WPSQ)

Parwell Investments Inc.

c/o 260 Wellesley Street East, Unit 101

Toronto ON M4X 1G6

Dear Owners and Property Managers of WPSQ and Parwell Investments Inc.

Re:  77 Howard Street Power Outage and Financial Support for Tenants

It has been over 50 days since any response was provided regarding the aftermath of the July 16, 2024 flooding at 77 Howard Street in St. James Town. My last letter to you dated August 9, 2024 has gone unanswered. 

As the Toronto Centre MPP representing more than 800 constituents who reside in this high-rise residential complex, I remind you that for many days, your tenants were deprived of electricity, hot water, hot meals and many other essential services. Some tenants even experienced catastrophic electrical fires and water damage due to Parewell Investments/WPSQ’s apparent failure to provide adequate maintenance to the building’s critical infrastructure. This was repeatedly stated by multiple tenants who shared their unanswered service requests with me.

While I am pleased to hear you have honoured existing leases and that the laundry facilities have been fixed, your inaction on the other corrective measures that your tenants have asked for has led to continued and deep frustration.

On behalf of the tenants at 77 Howard Street, I reiterate their fair and reasonable requests below:

1. Rent abatements:  Tenants seek rent abatements to alleviate the physical and financial burden imposed on them. The abatements should be calculated to reflect the physical suffering and emotional anguish caused by extended power outages. Tenants were highly frustrated and physically stressed when they could not walk up or down the stairs when the elevators were inoperable or limited to one. You collected their full rent on time, even when the building was sitting in absolute darkness without any functioning critical life support equipment or working elevators. CPAP machines couldn’t be turned, wheelchairs couldn’t be charged, medical appointments cancelled without elevator access and refrigerated medicine was thrown away. 

1. Reimbursement of all expenses caused by the flooding and power outage: Tenants seek full reimbursement for all expenses incurred, specifically for but not limited to meal replacements, transportation, insurance deductible, credit card or loan debt plus interest and hotel or other accommodation-related costs during this time. Many tenants are on fixed income and under tremendous financial street, they demand full compensation for the expenses related to losing their groceries due to the lack of refrigeration and stove use. 

1. Freeze on Rental Increases for 2025:  Tenants seek a rent freeze including any AGI increases for 2025, as this will support fixed-income and economically stressed households; and provide much-needed financial stability as they work to recover from this vital service disruption. It is unacceptable that tenants have begun to receive rent increases after what they have recently endured. 

Furthermore, ACORN Toronto and tenant members living at 77 Howard Street are asking for an in-person meeting with the owners and managers of WPSQ and Parwell Investments. Yesterday, I accompanied them to your office at 260 Wellesley Street East to deliver their own letter asking for this meeting. They informed me that all other attempts to engage your company representatives have failed and that their service requests remain unanswered. 

Turning a blind eye to the pleas of your tenants is not the answer. I urge you to not ignore your tenants. I look forward to your timely response to this letter by September 25, 2024 or sooner.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.  Should you have additional questions, you can reach my office by email at [email protected] or by phone at (416) 972-7683.

Sincerely,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

August 20, 2024

The Honourable Sylvia Jones 

Deputy Premier and Minister of Health 

777 Bay Street, 5th Floor 

Toronto, ON M7A 2J3

RE: Expanding Availability of Mpox Vaccine

Dear Minister Jones:

It has come to my attention that amidst the growing concern and awareness campaigns around the mpox virus, Toronto Public Health currently has no vaccine appointments available. 

Toronto Public Health has urged eligible residents to book vaccine appointments as soon as possible after a sharp uptick in cases reported in Toronto in July. However, access to vaccine appointments has not kept pace with increasing local demand. These barriers to vaccine accessibility threaten to undermine our efforts to control the spread of this virus and protect public health.

Ensuring widespread access to mpox vaccines is critical in preventing outbreaks and safeguarding the health of our communities. The current limited availability of these vaccines not only hampers our ability to respond effectively but also instills fear and uncertainty among those at risk.

I urge you, Minister Jones, to take immediate action to address this issue by:

1. Increasing Vaccine Supply: It is critical that your office facilitate the procurement of additional mpox vaccines to meet the growing demand.
2. Improving Distribution: Work with Toronto Public Health and other local health authorities to streamline and enhance the distribution process, ensuring that vaccines are readily available, especially in high-risk communities.
3. Monitoring and Reporting: Establish a robust system for monitoring vaccine distribution and reporting any challenges or gaps in real-time, allowing for swift adjustments and improvements. Restore wastewater surveillance across Ontario. 

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your prompt action and am hopeful that together we can work towards a healthier and safer community.

Sincerely yours,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP Toronto Centre

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

120 Carlton Street. Suite 401

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 4K2

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP TORONTO CENTRE

August 9, 2024

By Email and Post Mail

Samuel Grosz, Owner

Chaim Sachs, General Manager

Owners and Managers of 77 Howard Street 

Wellesley Parliament Square (WPSQ)

c/o 260 Wellesley Street East, Unit 101

Toronto ON M4X 1G6

Dear Owners and Property Managers of WPSQ,

I am writing in response to your agent’s letter dated August 1, 2024, regarding the costs and harm faced by your tenants at 77 Howard Street. While I recognize your crisis communication representative’s detailed account of the events following the power interruption on July 16, I must express my continued concern for the well-being of the tenants and address several points that remain unresolved. I will also be reaching out to the office of Toronto Centre’s local City Councillor and the Mayor of Toronto to share my concerns. 

In your response to me, you asserted that the many of the stories tenants are sharing with my office are untrue. My office and I have independently verified everything that we communicated with you — we have seen tenants’ units ourselves. I will not waste time debating facts when you have not responded in full to your tenants. I am confident that when you prioritize responding to your tenants' requests that you will not make such claims. 

Should you disagree with my perspective, I encourage you to temporarily move into a damaged unit at 77 Howard Street to experience what tenants are enduring. 

First, I want to acknowledge the efforts made by your team to restore essential services in the days following the incident. However, ongoing communication with your tenants since my initial letter has made me aware of ongoing issues that you cannot continue to ignore. 

1. Ongoing Maintenance Concerns: Despite your assertion that the property has undergone recent maintenance, tenants continue to report long-standing issues. One resident has documented leak complaints that date back over ten years. This suggests a pattern of inadequate response to maintenance requests which predates the recent incident. If the catastrophic failures happened because of your negligence, you owe tenants reimbursement through your insurance. 
2. Safety Concerns: A tenant has reported that during a recent power outage (that the tenant was not given notice of in advance), there were no emergency lights in the building, forcing them to use a flashlight to exit. Your high-rise building is home to many tenants living with disabilities. Their experience raises serious safety concerns, particularly for those with accessibility needs and in the event of an emergency evacuation.
3. Persistent Power and Water Issues: Despite your statement that power was fully restored by July 31, we have received reports of subsequent outages that many tenants received no notice of. Another tenant still does not have access to consistent hot water in their unit. You must ensure tenants can anticipate power outages and water cut-offs. All of your tenants deserve consistent access to hot water. 
4. Impact on Vulnerable Residents: The prolonged disruption has had a particularly severe impact on vulnerable tenants. For example, one resident with diabetes reported significant difficulties managing their condition during the outage due to lack of access to refrigeration and proper food storage. This tenant was additionally stressed earlier this week when a power outage happened, which the tenant was not informed of in advance as the tenant had to ensure their diabetes medicine remained cooled within specific temperatures.
5. Financial Burden on Tenants: Many tenants have incurred substantial costs due to these incidents, including hotel stays, replacement of spoiled food, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Some report that their insurance will not cover these costs as the building was deemed "safe to stay" despite internal temperatures reaching 30°C with 70% humidity. Other tenants have not heard back about their requests for the incident report that their insurance companies require them to submit claims to their tenant insurance company. Please do not deflect from your financial obligations, saying that tenants should use their tenant insurance when you do not provide them with the documentation that they need to do this. Furthermore, only a third of the laundry machines in your building are currently working — forcing tenants to use more expensive laundromats that they must travel a longer distance to get to. These costs are continuing to add up. You must prioritize answering all of your tenants in a timely fashion. 

In light of these ongoing concerns, I urge you to reconsider the requests outlined in my previous letter:

1. Provide rent abatements to reflect the hardships endured by tenants.
2. Reimburse tenants for expenses incurred due to the power outage and flooding.
3. Implement a freeze on rental increases for 2025.
4. Honour all existing leases, including for those who had to relocate temporarily.
5. Prioritize repairs and renovations of damaged units.
6. Ensure immediate access to neighbouring buildings’ laundry facilities

Furthermore, I request that you provide a comprehensive plan addressing the following:

1. How you intend to improve the building's electrical infrastructure to prevent future incidents.
2. How you will address the backlog of maintenance requests — particularly requests related to water leakage and electrical issues.
3. How you will ensure the safety of all tenants, especially those with accessibility needs, during any future emergencies.

Your tenants are living with a severe disruption and many have spent thousands of dollars on replacing lost food and belongings, as well as alternative accommodations since your building’s catastrophic incident. I hope that your future communications focus less on attacking their legitimate grievances and that you instead prioritize making them financially whole. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your timely response to this letter by August 13, 2024 or sooner. Should you have additional questions, you can reach my office by email at [email protected] or by phone at (416) 972-7683.

Sincerely,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre