After mice and cockroach nightmare, NDG family relieved landlord patches hole in ceiling
A family in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce that had mice and cockroaches falling through a hole in their bathroom ceiling says the ordeal finally appears to be over, but the pressure isn't off the landlord just yet.
As CTV News reported last Thursday, an enormous hole opened up above Adil El-abbar's shower about a month ago and despite repeated attempts to have his landlord fix it nothing was done.
Last week, the city said it planned to intervene by doing the work itself and sending the owner the bill. But on Sunday morning, Adil El-abbar says the landlord sent a plumber, and by Monday morning, the hole was patched.
"I think it happened thanks to the intervention of the media and the city," he said. "He does this in less than two days. So, I wonder why he didn't intervene much earlier as the situation was urgent."
The city wonders the same and even though the work in Adil El-abbar's bathroom is done, next month a team of inspectors is going to do a sweep of the entire building to look for violations.
"We brought it to a higher level to the housing department at the city to do a door-to-door, kind of. A really, really in-depth inspection. He still is obliged to do the extermination work because that was not completed," said Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough city councillor Despina Sourias.
The owner of the building, Jean Onel d'Haiti, did not respond to a request for comment Monday from CTV News. Last week, he said he has invested a lot of money trying to address the mouse problem and said it's an issue in all the buildings on Walkley Avenue, but insisted he will keep trying to address it.
"It's something to follow very closely and to see what the plans are when he books the exterminator," Sourias told CTV News. "So if there's a real, real health risk, we could intervene."
El-abbar insists there already is a risk — his three-year-old daughter has Leukemia and chemotherapy treatments have weakened her immune system. Mice continue to find ways into his apartment and every morning he is forced to disinfect everything.
He says his family cannot afford to move and have asked the rental board to lower their rent.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
BREAKING Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
P.E.I. and New Brunswick among most overworked provinces in Canada, study finds
A study says Prince Edward Island is the second most overworked province in Canada based on average weekly hours worked, while New Brunswick falls in third.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.
OPINION Prince Harry: Press intrusion and the family rift explored in new doc
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has once again found himself at the centre of media attention following his recent interview as part of 'Tabloids on Trial,' an ITV documentary on phone hacking and tabloid intrusion.