Tenant Stories
Byron's story
Byron suffered life-threatening injuries in the fire and needs our help.
Byron's situation is urgent and his story has moved us to do anything we can for him and his family. His injuries are serious and his losses severe.
Through his story runs generations of belief in Canada as a place to find opportunity and a high quality of life. We've let him down by allowing the conditions that led to this tragic fire, and we cannot let him down again.
Born in Canada to a Chilean family who later left due to immigration challenges, Byron decided to return to Canada in 2019 to achieve the kind of future he believed Canada could provide.
His mother joined him to help him establish his life here. When COVID happened, she stayed with him to help and stay safe instead of risking travel.
She finally returned home to Chile one week before this fire, leaving him with no family here to comfort him, fight for him, or help him through the tough road ahead.
Byron needs his mom. He's lost so much in this fire and will continue to deal with the impacts on his health and life for a long time.
Byron needs our help to:
-
Bring his mom to Canada to be with him - she will need financial and political support to come back to Canada.
-
Help find his beloved cat Luna who was lost in the fire.
-
Fundraise to help him rebuild his life after the tremendous trauma and loss he has suffered.
Other Tenant Stories
These stories are true but anonymous, and represent just some of the tenants displaced. These tenants want to talk to media and government and be heard.
Household A
Family of three
This family and their 9-year old son lost their home in the fire. Like all tenants, they are uninsured and need to rebuild their lives after this event. Their next home needs to be nearby so their son can continue at the same school.
Household B
Young adult in hospital
With his family travelling out-of-country, this young man is still in hospital and alone following the fire. His mother is trying to return, and this family has suffered a tremendous loss. Their beloved cat was lost during the events of January 15th, and the search continues for her in the neighbourhood.
Household C
Single woman
This longtime community member lost everything when firefighters woke her, including dentures which were seriously damaged in the fire making it difficult to eat comfortably. She has been documenting problems with the building for years.
Household D
Family of three
Mom, dad and their teenage daughter live here. The daughter has lost her prescription eyewear and has not been able to see clearly or read at all in the week following the fire. This family has collected a long history of unsafe conditions and neglect of basic and required maintenance in the building.
Household E
Single man
Like many tenants, E depends on technology to do his job and has been unable to work since the fire when his laptop and printer were destroyed.
Household F
Single man
Like many tenants, F has mobility and mental health issues that make the fire particularly devastating. He will need help navigating the complex steps that follow to engage services and secure stable housing.
