New condo occupancy contracts under dispute over late permits

An Ontario builder is facing investigations from new home regulators after it moved some residents into a new condominium building before it obtained occupancy permits from City of Toronto building inspectors.

“The whole thing is extremely frustrating,” said Melanie Lima-Robeiro who was told by builder First Avenue Properties that she could take interim occupancy of her new-build condo apartment at 859 The Queensway, in Etobicoke on Sept. 28, 2023. She said the building was incomplete when she moved in and her unit was unfinished with elements such as glass doors for her showers and separations on the terrace balcony still missing.

“They didn’t even paint my unit,” said Ms. Lima-Robeiro, who was three-months pregnant at the time. “I had to pay $4,000 [in occupancy fees] regardless if you move in, so I thought I might as well move in. It’s not like I benefited: there were no amenities, dust was everywhere, the heat went off two or three times. I’m a first-time home buyer, this is all new to me and I didn’t know how to navigate the system.”