Swansea Mews Update #2

Toronto Community Housing has been responding rapidly to prioritize the safety of tenants in the face of an emerging public safety risk.

A report by a structural engineer has found that the reason a concrete ceiling panel fell in Block H of the Swansea Mews community is believed to date back to the building’s construction.

The engineering report also found that routine inspections would not have identified this.  The failure likely occurred suddenly and without presenting signs of cracking or other visible indicators. The report calls for further testing to determine the extent of the issue.

At this time, TCHC is taking all necessary precautions. We are focused on moving tenants to temporary accommodation so that engineers can install temporary structural supports (shoring) and conduct additional testing on the ceiling materials. 

All Swansea Mews tenants have been informed that they will need to temporarily vacate their homes while the testing is done. TCHC is securing temporary accommodation for more than 100 households, along with transportation, food and other assistance. Tenants will be accommodated at postsecondary school campuses in Toronto, including Humber College Lakeshore, as well as in hotels.

There are a total of 154 units, 41 of which were vacant at the time of the incident. 25 households have already been moved to temporary accommodation and another 30 are expected to move early this week. We are continuing to work with the remaining units to create a plan that meets their individual needs for temporary accommodation.

This is a dynamic situation, with new findings and additional information coming to light on a daily basis. We are committed to providing tenants regular updates as the situation evolves and we ask for their understanding, as the latest information may change rapidly based on further findings in the community.