WARNING: This story can affect those who have experienced gender violence or know someone affected by it.
For a couple of months, the single mother Chantelle Edgar feared to be expelled from her London apartment, Ontario, with her two -year -old daughter, joining the tens of thousands of people in Ontario who live in the streets.
Edgar’s story is not uncommon, particularly for women with violent couples who sometimes use home as a way of exercising greater control, said Jessie Rodger, executive director of Anova, who helps people face violence of gender gender In London.
But on Thursday, Edgar received a postponement: a judge with Ontario’s lessor and the Tenant Board (LTB) ruled against its owner and agreed that living in his department during the last four years qualified her as a tenant. Although Edgar’s name is not in the lease, the judge said he could stay in the apartment and pay the rent.
“Increasingly, we are seeing the situation of the house as another way of abusing and causing harm to someone, whether they will throw or change the locks or stay out of the lease,” Rodger said.
Finding somewhere for a woman to be safe, accessible and affordable is a challenge, they added.
“We used to be really focused on gender -based violence, and help women unpack what happened to them and how to help them live.”
‘I don’t want to be in a tent’
Edgar had been living in the two bedroom apartment in South-End London for four years with his boyfriend at that time.
His ex, who is now in jail to attack her, as well as her father, her sister and a ex -girlfriend signed the lease nine years ago, according to the evidence presented at a LTB audience this week.
After he was arrested in September, his father requested to break the lease. The owner then served Edgar with an eviction notice, arguing because he was not in the lease, he was not a tenant and had to be out before December 31, 2024.
Edgar continued to pay the rent, set at $ 1,050, but the owner returned any money he sent. Edgar appealed the eviction and contacted Anova, which was full. She said that the shelter officials wrote a letter to the city of London, confirming that Edgar and her son needed to be put on the priority waiting list for social housing. Edgar continues to wait for housing.
“I pay the rent, the owner sends it back. I pay the rent, he returns it. I’m just trying to keep a roof on our heads,” Edgar told CBC News.
The owner also refused to write a letter confirming that he was a tenant, which made it difficult to find child care for his small child and resulted in his Ontario Works check received back because he did not have a formal address, Edgar said. The provincial program helps eligible people with life expenses such as rent and food.
On Thursday afternoon, Judge LTB Elle Venhola ordered the owner to begin accepting Edgar’s rent and allows him to continue living there. Venhola told Edgar to give a copy of Ontario Works to obtain the appropriate monthly payments.
Edgar’s case is an example of how vulnerable tenants can be specially affected in the midst of a housing crisis.
“Someone who is not in the lease, that is something that we definitely see that the owners use the tenants,” said Kristina Pagniello, executive director of Legal Services of the neighborhood of London and Middlesex.
“With the scarcity in the house stock and with how valuable Rental control “.
An apartment that rented for $ 900 per month four or five years now costs $ 2,000, said Pagniello.
“Once a unit is vacant for a day, you can establish a completely new rent, and this is how we are losing affordable housing actions. There is no place for people to pay,” he added.
Rental prices have begun at level and more homes are being built, but that has not yet been reduced to low -income tenants who face the lack of housing now, they say Rodger and Pagniello.
“It is not happening quick enough for the demand we see,” Rodger said.
‘The law is not in black and white’
Edgar represented herself at the LTB audience this week and was lucky to obtain a comprehensive judge, Pagniello said.
“We see in court, the result depends on the judge you get, so sometimes you get someone who sympathizes with the owner or the tenant. The law is not white and white.”
To Edgar, the ruling is a great relief.
“I’m just doing everything possible as a mother. I just want to keep my son safe,” said Edgar, who continues to have the hope that he gets a unit in social homes.
A legal assistant for the owner declined to comment on the case.
For any person who has been attacked, support is available through local support lines and services through the Finish the database of the Canada Violence Association.
