Submitted by "Lori McGregor" on 09/20/2008

I am the Tenant Representative at this building. It is a Toronto Community Housing Corporation property and we have been battling bedbugs for as long as I can remember but the past few years have been the worst. We have many tenants who transfer here from shelter's and often arrive with no belongings. One of our tenants received a mattress through Sleep Country's program wherein used beds are donated to those in need. The mattress had bedbugs. Removing the mattress to the garbage room with no covering just spread them throughout hallways and elevators - all common areas. Management needs to take a more pro-active approach to those who drag garbage into the building such as mattresses, couches, chairs, etc. It puts us all at risk. We have a camera in the move out room that would allow them to see the person responsible for leaving it inside. We even have three or four repeat offenders that basically use our garbage compound as a shopping mall and they are known to staff. Our previous cleaner used to ruin whatever was left with a knife in order to discourage people from dragging it back in. We've asked on several occasions for the entire building to be treated but we are told it is against people's rights to force them into having their units treated. That is ridiculous. Preventive measures are needed as is educating people on this problem.