Laura Hull –
Tenants at Evolv, a purpose-built rental building in Regent Park developed by Daniels Corporation, are speaking out against steep and inconsistent rent increases that they argue are destabilizing their lives and fracturing their community.
The Regent Park Tenants Association (RPTA) has gathered extensive data showing Evolv rents have pushed far above market levels, forcing many long-term residents to move.
It’s a “revolving door of tenants,” RPTA chair Oljas Yestekov says. According to the association, at least 21 units have seen residents leave in the past year, facing rent hikes ranging from 5 to 20 percent. Ontario’s rent increase guideline for 2024 was 2.5 percent.
“You can go on the Evolv website right now and see identical units renting for hundreds of dollars less than what current tenants are paying,” Yestekov told the bridge. “And yet, when we ask for adjustments, management tells us to move out and reapply as new tenants.”
That strategy would require tenants to pay double rent for up to two months during the transition, with no guarantee the lower-rent unit would still be available.
Evolv was built as part of the Regent Park Revitalization Project, a city initiative to enhance community stability and economic growth. Daniels was in partnership with the City of Toronto starting in 2005 for the first three phases of the Revitalisation Project. The RPTA says its rent increases directly contradict the goals of the project.
“The project was supposed to be about revitalizing the community, not displacing the people who live here,” said community activist Walied Khogali Ali. “For rents to be so out of touch with local incomes is a betrayal of the revitalization’s core mission.”
Evolv, which opened in 2021, is not subject to Ontario’s rent control regulations due to its recent construction date. This government-permitted loophole has enabled Daniels Corporation to impose rent increases that tenants describe as “unsustainable.”
Elsewhere in the city, according to a January report from Rentals.ca and Urbanation, rent growth has slowed due to an increased supply of new condos and purpose-built rentals.
“This isn’t just bad for tenants; it’s bad business,” RPTA secretary Zane Barratt said. “When units sit empty, Daniels loses revenue. They’re creating a lose-lose scenario for themselves and the community.”
Recent RPTA attempts to dialogue with Daniels about the rent increases have gone nowhere so far. At a meeting with Daniels last year, RPTA got “just a wave of the hand,” said Barratt. “They were like … ‘it’s a response to market fluctuations, and we have shareholders to appease.”
“It’s disappointing to hear from a company that proclaims to be community-involved, and has been leading the way in a lot of aspects of their organization, like the Daniels Artscape,” Barratt added. The Daniels Artscape is an arts and culture hub built as part of the Regent Park Revitalization.
Another Evolv tenant, who requested that her name be omitted, echoed these frustrations. “I’ve lived here since 2021 and love this building,” she said. “But every year I’m on pins and needles waiting to see how high my rent increase will be. There’s no negotiation, no transparency.”
“Daniels made significant profits from earlier phases of the Regent Park Revitalization,” Khogali Ali said. “They have a responsibility to be good neighbours and stakeholders, ensuring that rents are fair and accessible.”
“If Daniels continues down this path, they’re going to undermine the very community they helped build,” the anonymous tenant said. “Regent Park is a success story now, but if people are priced out, it won’t be for long.”
The RPTA wants to meet with Daniels to discuss rent fairness and community stability. They are also urging the city to explore additional tenant protections for new builds.
As Yestekov put it, “revitalization can’t just be a buzzword. It has to mean something for the people who call Regent Park home.”
Daniels did not reply to the bridge for a comment in time for publication.
