Would you have been able to get through the last few days and weeks with no heat and no hot water where you live?
Some families living in subsidized housing in NDG say they've been forced to live with no heat or hot water for about three weeks.
“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.
Her building is located in Benny Farm and managed by Project Chance, a community program which provides subsidized housing for single mothers who are trying to finish their education, and their children.
Several of the apartments in the complex are in bad shape — a burst radiator pipe left water trickling down into several apartments below. In one of them, the ceiling collapsed as a result, leaving a huge hole in the ceiling and pieces of insulation strewn all over the floor. To make matters worse, the water infiltration is causing worries about mold and other structural issues.
Residents say Project Chance has done its best the issues fixed, but the real problem lies with the Société d'habitation du Québec — the agency whose mission it is to help provide subsidized housing for those in need.
An official with Project Chance contacted by CTV Montreal says there's a long list of repairs that need to be done, but that the workers who do come keep telling them the problems are fixed, when in reality, they're fixed for a while, then they come back.
In the meantime, Robinson and others say they've had to use space heaters and even opening their ovens to provide some heat. They've also resorted to taking hot showers at nearby gyms or swimming pools.