Some families living in subsidized housing in NDG say they've been without heat or hot water for three weeks.

The building in Benny Farm is managed by Project Chance, which provides subsidized housing for single mothers who are trying to finish their education, and their children.

The building is in obvious, immediate need of repair.

A radiator pipe burst on an upper floor, leaving water to trickling down into numerous apartments and into the basement, where water was still falling from the ceiling on Thursday morning.

In one apartment, the leak has forced the ceiling to collapse, and insulation is strewn all over the floor as water continues to pour through it.


Residents have been without heat or hot water since before Christmas – a problem exacerbated by the frigid temperatures in recent weeks. All of the apartments have children living in them.

“It’s non-livable. We have kids, and it’s not okay for us to be living like this,” said Natalie Robinson, who has lived there for three years.

Residents said they have been running space heaters and opening their ovens to keep apartments warm, having to heat up water on the stove to do their dishes or shower. Some residents said they’ve been using municipal gyms and pools to take a hot shower.


Quebec Housing Society at fault, say residents

Residents say Project Chance has been trying its best to help them to get work done – they say the fault lies with the Quebec Housing Society, with whom they’ve been trying to reach for weeks.

“I was on the phone all day yesterday with the SHQ, and they keep telling me they’re waiting on responses from our landlord and in order for them to do something, they need estimates – but she’s already been in contact with them, she’s already given them the estimates, and they’re not doing anything,” said Robinson. “The SHQ really needs to step their game up and they need to provide services for us people. We are citizens, we work, we pay our rent, and this is not acceptable.”

Theresa Capel, director of Project Chance, said there’s a long list of repairs to be done.

“Every time (workers) come, they tell us it’s fixed. And then the hot water will come back on for a bit, the heat will come on for a bit, and it’s just failing now,” she said. “We want our women to live in safe, heated, decent conditions. That’s the objective.”

The water leak is also causing concern about future problems, including mould and structural issues.

“The Quebec Housing Society is very concerned about the problems currently facing the tenants of this building,” the SHQ wrote in an email to CTV. “In an effort to do everything to support it, just for the year 2018, the SHQ has financially helped the organization twice.”

The provincial body said it has paid to maintain the heating system “several times” since November, adding that it will now analyze whether more financial assistance will need to be made available to Project Chance, and will send a response “as soon as possible.”


Prepared to move

Residents say they are ready to move, but that’s not so simple.

“I’ve already started visiting places. For one, it’s winter, so it’s hard. And I need three bedrooms for us to live in,” said resident Melissa Robertson. “And then, you know, having kids, not everybody wants you to be there. I called one place and she said, ‘Oh no, I have a sick dad and I can’t have three kids above me.’”


Resident Melissa Robertson gets choked up when speaking about this situation.

Capel said she’s reached out to other local organizations to see if there is available housing for the families.

“We’re hoping they don’t have to move. We’re hoping we can work it out with the City of Montreal and with the heating company that they can fix it. If not, we’re going to have to work with a social worker to see where these women can move.”

Robinson said it’s a matter of safety.

“It’s our right to have the basics – heat and hot water. It’s our right to come home and feel safe. We don’t feel safe here.”


Positive steps

As CTV interviewed the tenants Thursday, city inspectors showed up to take a look at the building. The tenants were told they would be put up in a hotel immediately and for the next few days.

Workers are expected to arrive Friday morning to repair the heating in hopes the families can return to safe living conditions imminently.