Bricks fall from TCH building, city points to Ottawa, Queen's Park
Budget chief says falling brick shows senior governments need to help city with repair backlog
Toronto Coun. Gary Crawford says a Saturday incident in which a section of a brick veneer fell off a Toronto Community Housing building shows the need for senior levels of government to help the city clear its repair backlog in TCH properties.
On Saturday a section of brick veneer tumbled away from the wall of a 12-storey, TCH-owned building in Scarborough at 3171 Eglinton Ave. E., near Markham Road.
No one was hurt, but a section of bricks fell eight storeys to the ground, landing in a pile steps from the building's playground.
Crawford — the local councillor and the city's budget chief — told CBC Radio's Metro Morning the incident is "an illustration of what we in the city have to face in the next couple of years."
Crawford said the city has put forward money to address the TCH repair backlog — $175 million last year alone — but said senior levels of government need to step up and contribute.
"We have increased the work that needs to be done," said Crawford. "Is it enough? No it's not. We really need to get the other two levels of government at the table."
Metro Morning host Matt Galloway pointed to the reluctance of senior governments to contribute to TCH and asked Crawford what taxes he would recommend to cover the cost.
"We're looking at all options," said Crawford.
Toronto Community Housing manages more than 2,000 properties for the city.