An Urgent Plea Regarding…

An Urgent Plea Regarding Director’s Order 1-280716025

To those reading this, I urge you to genuinely consider the human impact of what is being proposed.
Several not-for-profit housing cooperative buildings in Ontario—particularly in Burlington—are facing potentially devastating consequences from the impending Director’s Order 1-280716025. These co-ops provide affordable, stable housing for some of the province’s most vulnerable citizens. The residents are primarily seniors, people living with disabilities, and lower-middle-income individuals and families—many of whom, like myself, live with chronic health issues or disabilities.
We are not large corporations. We are people. Many of us have invested our life savings into our units, seeking a quieter, more affordable lifestyle in a supportive community. Our co-ops do not have the same access to financing options as condominiums or private entities. Banks do not offer loans to co-ops in the same way, and there is no clear path for financial assistance to cover the enormous costs associated with Director’s Orders—including legal fees, environmental testing, delineation, and containment of contamination.
To make matters worse, this contamination issue has been known to the Ministry of the Environment for many years—perhaps even decades. And yet, no containment action was taken. Why, after such prolonged inaction, is the entire financial and emotional burden being placed on innocent residents who had no role in causing this problem? Why has the city not not done containment work along New Street a decade ago? While the environmental concerns may be valid, the immediate human impact of enforcing this order without an equitable plan for funding or assistance will be catastrophic. These buildings could be pushed into insolvency. People may lose their homes. Many, like myself, are already experiencing severe stress-related health effects. I am currently at risk of losing my job due to the mental toll this situation has taken, and we haven’t even begun to face the full financial impact.
I implore the Director and all responsible officials to pause and reconsider. In the midst of an ongoing housing and homelessness crisis, this decision—if left unchanged—will only make things worse. We need a more compassionate, reasonable, and just approach that does not punish those least able to shoulder this burden.

Please, find another way.

Sincerely,

A very concerned tax paying citizen
Burlington, Ontario