Some Montreal tenants have been without heat all week during bitter cold snap

MONTREAL -

Hydro-Quebec is asking people to cut back their energy consumption during the current bitter cold snap, but one building in Montreal has been without heat for almost a week causing some residents frustration.

Lynne Hostein lives on Sherbrooke St. East and is writing a novel about a woman who's struggling.

It's a subject that lately she knows all too well.

"The working title of the book that I'm working on is called 'For crying out loud,' and I really feel that sort of fits this situation. For crying out loud, get us some heat," she said.

Hostein said the heat went out last weekend.

A spokesperson for the building explained that a pipe linked to the gas furnace in the garage froze and burst, and that coupled with a power failure in the area set off a chain of events that has been difficult to repair.

"We've had teams all hands on deck working day and night including three trade vendors we work with working on-site working day and night to resolve this," said Hazelview Properties vice-president of communications Colleen Krempulec.

The common areas aren't affected and some apartments never lost heat, but for those that did, it's been a cold week.

"It's been difficult, especially at night," said Hostein. "Luckily, I have a down comforter and I just keep that over my head."

Hostein said the building gave out small space heaters to tenants, which she said didn't do much, adding that tenants were told to use their ovens as a heat source.

"Which I personally think is a fire hazard," she said.

Krempulec said they hope to have the heat on Friday in time for potentially record-breaking cold temperatures this weekend, and that back up plans are also in place.

"We have taken the initiative to procure 100 more space heaters in the event that we need to rely on that and get them out to residents," she said.

Hostein is not taking any chances and staying with a friend until the cold snap is over.