MPP West joins Sudbury seniors in fight against poor housing conditions

In the second-floor library where BINGO night is held, more than 50 tenants and supporters from the Twelve Elgin downtown seniors’ building came together to plan their next steps after a bed bug infestation brought a bylaw order from the City of Greater Sudbury.

They also heard from Sudbury MPP Jamie West while fanning themselves with the brochures he brought to endure the stagnant heat of the room.

Though the air conditioners are working, the tenants said their property manager, Luxor Management Inc. won’t turn them on, forcing them to cancel their weekly game.

And so on Aug. 14, sitting at tables covered with white plastic table cloths and dotted with coffee cups, timbits and cold water provided by one of the tenants, the Twelve Elgin Tenants Association members read information packages, including a letter from the City of Greater Sudbury bylaw office and a bed bug information sheet.

They were also joined by tenants from another Luxor Management Inc. managed property, Centreville 1 and 2, who told Sudbury.com Aug. 7 they are facing similar problems to those living at Twelve Elgin, and still do not have a working elevator.

That includes a bed bug infestation so bad the city has placed an order to comply on the building, threatening up to $100,000 in fines if the Twelve Elgin building is not rid of the pests by Sept. 8.

Of course, that’s not all the tenants told Sudbury.com about their life at the building they once thought of as their own small community, and hope to again.

Overwhelmed by garbage, drug use and people who are homeless sleeping in common areas, tenants have found weapons and, as they shared at the August 14 meeting, faced violence.

As Sudbury.com reported in previous coverage, a tenant confined to a wheelchair has alleged the previous maintenance manager sexually assaulted her and he is now facing charges.

On Aug. 14, a female tenant told us she was assaulted in the lobby; at the meeting that night, another man said he “got punched out on the fifth floor and nothing was done about it.”

“And still today, we found two weapons in the stairwells,” he told the group.”I think that’s worse than having bed bugs.”

When one person suggested 24-hour security for the building, everyone in the room clapped in agreement.

What can be done?

MPP West spoke at the meeting, commending the bravery of the tenants who spoke up.

“I want you to know that coming together as a group is your strength,” he said. “There's that expression ‘You can break a stick, but you can't break a bundle.’ When you stand together, you're strong when you stand together. People can't ignore your loud voice. So don't forget that.”

He said he was there to listen, but also promised to act.

“I'm here to listen to you about what your concerns are,” he said. “But also I need to have a conversation with our housing minister about how the Landlord Tenant Act isn't being enforced properly. I need to talk to bylaw about what they need that gives them a little more teeth to act; I don't know these areas, but I need to hear from them, because we shouldn't have this issue happening.”

He said when he read Sudbury.com’s article, published in advance of the meeting, he referred to the photo of a man, a formerly homeless war veteran, who was covered in welts from the bed bug infestation.

“I could not believe that you get a better night's sleep outside than inside your apartment,” West said. “It's completely unacceptable.”

He also referenced “Cypress Street” as another centre of issue, but did not provide further details. “And other locations that, because of privacy, I can't talk about, but where they're shutting off the heat in the winter time,” he said.

“Your home is where you should feel safe and comfortable and relaxed, not a place where you feel stressed, not a place where you're worried you're going to be evicted because you're standing up for your rights,” said West.

Steve Tysick, the founder of the Twelve Elgin Tenants’ Association, said he couldn’t be happier about the turnout.

“I started this a couple years ago just to get people to see what was happening, and now, a politician is here,” he said with a laugh.

He said he was also pleased with the flurry of cleaning he said happened after the announcement of the meeting.

Bill McElree, Twelve Elgin tenant and member of the mayor's Older Adult Advisory Council, had been posting meeting announcements and was later reprimanded and threatened with an N5 eviction warning notice if he did it again.

The threat of eviction is fairly commonplace, the tenants told Sudbury.com.

Twelve Elgin (formerly Christ the King) is a non-profit building described by Luxor Management Inc. on Facebook as “Senior Apartment Rentals 55+.”

Also on their Facebook page, Luxor Management Inc. notes: “Luxor Management has been a leader in the property management business for over 40 years,” and that they manage more than 940 residential units consisting of a mix of townhouses, high-rise, mixed-use and non-profit projects.

The building, which houses 156 units, became the property of Twelve Elgin Housing Corporation on October 14, 2022, and is now owned and managed by a board of directors, who did not comment for a Sudbury.com’s previous story on the building this week.

Order to remedy bed bugs, cockroaches and more

The Twelve Elgin building was slapped with the non-conformity order on August. 8, and notices were posted around the building by bylaw officers. They were subsequently torn down, said tenants, and Sudbury.com saw none while we toured the building. We were provided one by a tenant.

At the meeting, attendees received a two-page letter, bearing the letterhead of the city, dated Aug. 11 and signed by Melissa Laalo, manager of bylaw services, along with a bed bug fact sheet from Public Health Sudbury and Districts.

The letter states that according to the order “the property owner is required to submit evidence of the remediation by providing our office with copies of the ongoing pest control efforts from a licensed exterminator that the property is free from vermin, rodents and injurious insects (which includes bed bugs) and conditions that promote infestations, to confirm compliance with the order.”

“Should the property owner fail to comply with the order, the city may arrange to have the work done on their behalf and all applicable costs would be placed on the property tax payroll,” the letter states.

“The safety and well-being of the city’s residents is paramount, and city staff will continue to work with the property owner and community resources to minimize any impacts on the tenants,” states the letter, and recommends contacting Public Health for education and guidance.

The letter also features a listing of local resources. (You can find the full list at the bottom of this article, as well as details of the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit, which can assist with issues related to harassment by the landlord, illegal evictions, service disconnections and unlawful entry into your unit.)

Centreville 1 and 2

While there is no movement of the elevator at Centreville 1 and 2, the city-funded and Luxor managed non-profit building, there is new information regarding the infestations they are facing.

070825_jl_centreville_exterior — Centerville non-profit housing complex, located at 285 Lourdes, is seen at a distance. The elevator has been inoperable since Nov. 25, leaving residents, who are mostly seniors or people who are disabled, stranded. Jenny Lamothe

A notice, dated Aug. 7, was posted to the wood frame built around the elevator, out since November, 2024.

“RE: PEST CONTROL UNSUCCESSFUL TREATMENT(S),” it begins.

“Dear Tenant(s),

On July 18, 2025, the pest control contractor approved by the board of directors has done a pest inspection in your unit and has recommended to do (blank space) on (blank space).

If you don't give access to the contractor and/or the unit is not prepared at the time of treatment, you will be billed for the cost of this missed treatment in the amount of $130,00.

We are reminding you of your responsibility to maintain a clean apartment and to properly prepare for all pest control treatments. If you are not fully prepared for the next pest control treatment, you will be billed an additional $130.00 per week missed.

For tenants/s with mobility disability, please inform the office two days before treatment to better accommodate you at 705-673-3000.

For billed cost due to non-compliance, please make payment by E-transfer to (information omitted by Sudbury.com).

“At the bottom of this letter, you will find the instructions on how to prepare your unit.

Your next treatment is scheduled on: Monday. Aug 18

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.”

As part of Sudbury.com’s ongoing coverage of housing issues in Greater Sudbury, if you are facing issues with security, infestation or inoperable elevators at your building, please contact [email protected].

Jenny Lamothe covers vulnerable and marginalized populations, as well as housing issues and the justice system for Sudbury.com.