Ascenseurs

Elevators

Minto

Vandalisme

Vandalism

Lieux dangereux

Dangerous Area

Qualité de vie

Quality of Life

Entraves pour les urgences

Impediments for Emergency

Extérieur de l'immeuble

Building Exterior

Chauffage

Heating

Balcons

Balconies

Qualité de service

Quality of Service

Rencontre avec locataires

Meetings with the Tenants

Buanderie

Laundry Room

Électricité

Electric Power

L'apparence sale ou endommagée de plusieurs aires communes du Rockhill sont une nuisance pour tous les locataires vu qu'ils doivent y vivre quotidiennement.

L'effet "vitre brisée" est bien connue: lorsqu'un bâtiment a une apparence négligée, cela encourage d'autre actes de vandalisme et pire, tel que présenté dans 

l'article "Broken Windows" de Mars 1982 du journal The Atlantic Monthly

"Social psychologists and police officers tend to agree that if a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken. This is as true in nice neighborhoods as in rundown ones. Window-breaking does not necessarily occur on a large scale because some areas are inhabited by determined window-breakers whereas others are populated by window-lovers; rather, one un-repaired broken window is a signal that no one cares, and so breaking more windows costs nothing. "

Il est donc important de rectifier ces problèmes dès que possible pour éviter un encouragement à une désaffection générale et des comportements anti-sociaux pouvant rendre le complexe invivable pour les locataires désirant une vie tranquille et bonne pour leur santé physique et mentale.

The dirty or damaged appearance of several common areas in Rockhill is a nuisance for all tenants as they have to live with it on a daily basis.

The "broken windows" effect is well-known: when a building looks neglected, it encourages further acts of vandalism and worse, as presented in the 

March 1982 article "Broken Windows" from The Atlantic Monthly

"Social psychologists and police officers tend to agree that if a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken. This is as true in nice neighborhoods as in rundown ones. Window-breaking does not necessarily occur on a large scale because some areas are inhabited by determined window-breakers whereas others are populated by window-lovers; rather, one unrepaired broken window is a signal that no one cares, and so breaking more windows costs nothing."

It is therefore important to rectify these issues as soon as possible to avoid encouraging a general sense of neglect and antisocial behaviors that can make the complex unlivable for tenants seeking a quiet life beneficial to their physical and mental health.

L'état endommagé ou sale de certaines parties communes de Rockhill constitue une nuisance quotidienne pour tous les locataires. L'effet bien connu des "fenêtres brisées" suggère que la négligence en matière d'apparence peut entraîner une augmentation du vandalisme et des problèmes sociaux, soulignant l'importance de remédier rapidement à ces problèmes pour maintenir un environnement habitable favorable au bien-être des locataires.


The damaged or dirty condition of some common areas in Rockhill poses a daily nuisance for all tenants. The well-known "broken windows" effect suggests that neglect in appearance can lead to increased vandalism and social problems, emphasizing the importance of promptly addressing these issues to maintain a livable environment for tenants' well-being.

Salubrité

Cleanliness

Rencontre avec l'administration

Meeting With the Administration

Plomberie

Plumbing

Bruit

Noise

Visiteurs

Visitors

Déneigement

Snow Removal

Disponibilité des services

Availability of Facilities

Odeurs

Odors

Garage

Entrée de l'immeuble

Building Entrance

Piscine

Pool

Les locataires sont inquiets pour leur sécurité personnelle en raison de multiples incidents récents.

Un état de délabrement qui persiste pendant une longue période conduit à l'effet bien documenté de la "fenêtre cassée", où le vandalisme mineur non corrigé encourage des délits plus graves car il semble que personne en position d’autorité ne fait attention.

En général, la présence des employés de Minto n'est pas suffisamment ressentie. Avoir un seul agent de sécurité pour cinq bâtiments laisse de nombreux angles morts, d'autant plus que toutes les caméras ne fonctionnent pas. Des maîtres-nageurs qui ne vérifient pas la légitimité des nageurs et qui ne leur rappellent pas les règles conduisent à désordre, vandalisme et harcèlement dans les zones de la piscine, du sauna et des vestiaires. L'absence de rondes physiques par le gérant et ses délégués de bâtiment signifie que les problèmes passent inaperçus jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient signalés, les ouvriers ne fournissent pas de travail de qualité, et les non-résidents se sentent libres de traîner et même de voler des objets dans le hall d'entrée.

Une initiative de sécurité simple mais cohérente, mettant l'accent sur une tolérance zéro pour le délabrement et une présence claire des représentants de Minto, aboutira à un environnement plus sûr avec moins de comportements indésirables et de dommages, ce qui est crucial pour Minto et ses clients.

Tenants are concerned for their personal security due to multiple recent incidents. 

A state of disrepair that persists for a long period leads to the well-documented "broken window" effect, where petty vandalism not corrected encourages more serious misdemeanors because it appears that no one in authority is paying attention.

In general the presence of Minto employees is not felt sufficiently. Having a single security guard for five buildings leaves many blind spots, especially as not all cameras are working. Lifeguards that don't verify the legitimacy of swimmers and do not remind them of the rules lead to messiness, vandalism and harassment in the pool, sauna and changing room areas. Lack of physical walkabouts by the manager and his building delegates means problems go unnoticed until reported, workers don't produce quality work, and non-residents feel free to loiter and even steal items from the lobby.

A simple but consistent security initiative, emphasizing zero tolerance for disrepair and a clear presence of Minto representativies, will result in a safer environment with less undesirable behavior and damage, which is crucial for Minto and its customers.

Inquiétude des locataires suite à des incidents; le délabrement et l'absence d'autorités encourage les méfaits de vandalisme et de harassement des locataires

Concern of tenants following several incidents; disrepair and lack of presence of authorities encourage vandalism and harassment of tenants

Sécurité

Security

Bicyclettes

Bicycles

Travaux de rénovation

Renovation Work

Gestion du travail

Management of Work

Stationnement

Parking

Alarme d'incendie

Fire Alarm

Sauna

Entraves

Obstacles

Facturation

Billing

Suvis

Follow-ups

Les locataires sont souvent surpris par un manque de préavis à propos de travaux, et ont de la difficulté à obtenir des réponses à leurs demandes de maintenances ou messages téléphoniques. 

The tenants are often surprised by a lack of advance notice regarding maintenance work, and they have difficulty getting responses to their maintenance requests or phone messages.

Communications

Accessibilité de l'immeuble

Building Accessibility

Rent Café

This report presents the progress of the Collective over the past year, culminating with the appalling data and conclusions from the 

, and what we recommend to move things forward.

Must Read: Activity Report 2023-2024

Affected by the deterioration of the Rockhill Apartments in Montreal, some tenants began meeting in July 2023 to consider ways to address the situation.

From these meetings emerged the Rockhill Tenants Collective, a spontaneous group dedicated to upholding the rights of residents and the heritage value of this once upscale and avant-garde complex.

The Collective

TAL - Rights and obligations of the lessor (landlord)

TAL - Rights and obligations of the lessee (renter)

Resources

Have a question? An incident, photo or opinion for the website? An exchange with the administration to share? Write to us at:

Contact

Next meeting

Residents of the Rockhill apartments in Montreal

Sous-titre Principal

Rockhill Tenants Collective

Des coquerelles ont été vues dans les portes des ascenseurs du F et du B. Elles utilisent les ascenseurs pour monter à d'autres étages.

The administration recently distributed  traps to residents of buildings D and E to detect the quantity of cockroaches present. There were already traps in building F for many months, often well filled:

There were so many friday that the extermination company had to hurriedly take them away without leaving any replacements!

Increasing spread of cockroaches

The holes in the walls left by the removal of the old speakers remain wide open, three months later, with no plan to fill them. This constitutes a violation of housing sanitation and provides an easy entry point for insects.

Gaping Holes After 3 Months

Once more, litter ont the ground due to insufficient garbage bins after this area was just washed, creating a breeding ground for vermin:

Garbage containers overflowing attracting vermin

Several living and dead cockroaches were spotted at the elevator entrace of building D in SS2:

The same day, a visit in the F revealed a trap with cockroaches in it:

L'administration, avisée de cette présence, à indiqué qu'elle allait demander à la compagnie d'exterminateurs, de faire un traitement plus extensif de cet endroit. Nous avons indiqué qu'il s'agit d'un signe superficiel d'une infestation plus grave. 

The administration, advised of this presence, indicated that it would ask the exterminators to treat this area more extensively. We advised them that it was a superficial signal of a deeper infestation.

Cockroaches in the entrace to the elvators in building D

The CLR compiled the results of the bilingual survey that was distributed in the mailboxes of all apartments in the complex. To ensure the best possible representation of all buildings, responses collected in person (door-to-door) were added to the spontaneous responses (returns of completed questionnaires), in an approximate proportion of 50%-50%.

s, if the vacancy rate is not considered, responded to the survey between April 6 and May 6, 2024.

Click here to obtain the complete analysis report.

Survey on Rockhill Service: Appalling Results!

The grounds at Rockhill have often been graced with greenery. Indeed, they are an extension of the woods of the Oratory and have a heritage vocation to contribute to the conservation of Mount Royal.This greenery has always been one of Rockhill's undeniable assets, contributing to its healthy living environment.

However, several practices of the Minto administration contribute to killing the greenery and creating arid or poorly used areas due to a lack of proper grounds management.

It is important for the administration to retain the services of qualified personnel to supervise the work and avoid wasting resources as well as the neglected appearance of the grounds.

The administration told the RTC that they would have a project to improve the landscaping this year, but they do not seem to be aware of the extent of the destruction, the significant work required to correct everything, and what needs to be done to prevent it from happening again. The project details have not been shared with the tenants.

The following image shows an abundance of greenery in 2021:

In the summer of 2022, large sections of the plants were torn out.

These mistreatments continued in 2023, and now in 2024, the grounds feature large sections of mud and dead grass.

A photo from May 2016 shows well-maintained flowerbeds, green grass, well-kept trees, and no litter.

The roads at Rockhill are surrounded by flowerbeds intended for greenery but currently neglected, subject to soil erosion, and overgrown with weeds.

The administration has no one responsible for the condition of the grounds, so equipment operators feel free to leave the roadways, creating deep muddy ruts in the soil and contributing to the appearance of an unkempt vacant lot. Competent supervision would provide strict directives to workers to respect the pathways and stay on the paved areas, under penalty of sanctions and/or dismissal.

Groups of plants around each building are affected by varying degrees of water shortage.

Monday, June 19, 2023: a landscaping team installs fresh, green rolls of sod. Within a week, the abandoned grass dries up and turns into hay. This is not the result of a heatwave but rather poor maintenance of the service provider's (paid!) specifications, which include regular watering after installation to allow the roots to take hold! Two months later, half of the grass is still dead, giving the grounds an unsightly appearance. Elsewhere on the property, the same kind of neglect is evident.

Progressive Destruction of the Landscaping

For the past 2 years, sanitation has been deteriorating, which is evidenced by the increased presence of insects and now rats.

Cockroaches and others are attracted to the waste bins that were cleaned daily in the past but are now barely cleaned weekly, allowing large swarms to form.

The trash bins are insufficient to contain the overflowing waste that ends up on the ground, attracting vermin.

The practice of circulating bins between buildings allows the infestation to spread from one building to another.

An extermination company comes in a preventive mode to set and examine traps to diagnose the quantity of insects.

However, the company told us that, despite the abundant presence of cockroaches in the traps (from building F in these examples) indicating a serious infestation, Minto chooses not to spend money to exterminate the insects, and residents must live with it.

And indeed, as indicated by the traps, cockroaches can be seen in many places in building F.

The presence of rats is an advanced sign of a lack of sanitation. In 20 years, this is the first year we have reached this point.

Increased Presence of Vermin: Exterminate, Now!

In the summer of 2023, a project to refurbish the balconies of building F was initiated by the administration, after having completed those of building E. A year later, the work continues amidst dust, noise, and a lack of transparency, raising fears for other planned work by Minto.

When the work on F began, it was expected to be completed by the end of the summer. In August, the work, which was progressing amid excessive noise and dust harmful to health, was suddenly interrupted as the workers were redirected to another project, leaving the balconies in an unusable state.

In February, the administration announced that the work would be completed in the spring, to begin work on the rock wall behind F, ending in June. The administration also announced subsequent refurbishment work in building A, and work on the facade of building B.

It seems that this plan no longer holds due to the ongoing construction in F, much to the dismay of tenants exasperated by the noise and dirt. A senior project manager who joined on April 25 also announced that it would be the balconies of B that would be next.

At the beginning of summer 2023, the administration informed all tenants of building F that balcony refurbishment work was to start within a week and that everything on the balconies, including wooden tiles, had to be removed. When contacted to confirm which floor the work would start on and when the workers would come by, the reply was that it would definitely be the following week.

In fact, this was not to happen, and the balcony remained unusable for two and a half months before the workers showed up, depending on the floor. It is understandable that tenants who had hastily cleared their balconies were unhappy, having cleared them for nothing while the work seemed reluctant to start. When contacted for a follow-up, the administration claimed they were unable to predict when the work would take place on a particular floor, as the supplier had no plan.

Going directly to the source, a member of the CLR spoke to one of the supplier's foremen who explained that they had provided a plan, but that it was actually a decision by the administration.

A Chaotic and Illegal Confiscation of Property

Several tenants who did not receive the notice, or who did not have the possibility to store all the balcony furniture in their apartment or in storage, had the unpleasant surprise of discovering that workers had taken their belongings without their permission and had piled them up without any organization or precaution on the ground floor, rather than interrupting their work. 

Recently, the administration decided to move an number of items along the exterior wall of the building to make room inside. These items are not secured and are at the mercy of the elements. It is likely that there will be a total loss for the tenants to whom they belong.

Floor tiles and mosquito nettings are piled on top of each other with no identification of source and very little precautions which has visibly led to damage.

Normally, a spokesperson from the administration should have contacted the tenants to agree with them regarding these effects and the impossibility of using the balcony for storage during the work. This represents not only a lack of courtesy but also a violation of the Charter of Rights, which stipulates that no one has the right to remove anything from the dwelling without the permission of the person living there.

Long after the work on the concrete of the balconies, a team appeared without any warning to pressure wash the facades of the renovated balconies. Unfortunately, the technique used resulted in rubble and dust being sent onto the walls and windows.

Dirty water coats the windows with dust and even penetrates inside the apartments through poorly sealed frames.

They use an ineffective technique that dirties the walls with a thick layer of dust and debris, requiring the tenant to clean up after the so-called wash. They should have started by directing the jets outward to remove the debris rather than pressing it against the facade.

In addition to leaving dirt, the water jets have a disintegrating effect on the caulking and frames, creating gaping holes through which air rushes in.

After the teams have gone through, one can notice cement stains on the railings, which are impossible to remove without a special product. Care must also be taken not to damage the paint, which requires a very precise and delicate effort.

The windows are not spared. We recognize a hand-print in one of them!

On the ciment, there is a blue residue that is just a difficult to clean off.

A minimum of quality control would have revealed the problems with the technique from the first balcony, ensuring that the work was done properly for the rest.

At the end of the summer, the work was suddenly interrupted, leaving all the balconies in an unusable state. According to the supplier, there was a need to deploy the workers on another project. 

Recently contacted to understand what was happening given the lack of information from the administration, a supplier revealed to the CLR that they had indeed provided the administration with a floor-by-floor plan of the work, which could have reduced the impact on the tenants.

It is clear that the use of the balcony was prevented during the duration of the work. Furthermore, the noise level is well below the city-specified maximum of 60 decibels on the balcony and 45 inside, the lack of window insulation allowing sound to easily propagate inside. (

See the City of Montreal noise regulation

Tenants should therefore be able to request a rent reduction for the duration of the projects, according to case law (

In fact, a class-action suit is being intented by some residents of the F building, led by Maitre Émilien Létourneau (still at an early stage), which includes in part this work. There is no necessity to join this, a tenant can make their own small claim at the TAL for a portion of rent according to the loss of enjoyment of the balcony and premises, etc

When acquiring Rockhill, Minto alluded to easy gains by boasting about recent work on the infrastructure, including the balconies, parking, and common areas.

Since acquiring Rockhill in 2011, Ivanhoé Cambridge has invested significant capital in the property largely into balconies, parking, common areas and landscaping. These investments will reduce maintenance expenditures in the future and allow the REIT to focus on value-add suite repositioning and amenity improvements. This transaction positions the REIT as an important participant in the Montreal multi-family market immediately, which is expected to unlock other future opportunities.

It is surprising that just 3 years later, major work has been undertaken on all these aspects. Did Minto misrepresent the situation to investors? Or could it be that these are unnecessary works aimed at increasing the repositioning rate by driving away tenants, especially those who have been there for a long time, as described in the 

report for the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate on financialization of rental properties

Refurbishing of the Balconies in F: an Intolerable Saga

The administration tried to remove the graffiti on the walls but it can still be seen. It might be necessary to call in a professional cleaner with pressure washing equipment and/or effective solvents. Here are some suggestions:

This product line includes specific graffiti removers that are environmentally friendly and designed to work on multiple surfaces, including brick. Lift Off is formulated to break down the molecular bond between the paint and the surface without causing damage.

Dumond offers a range of graffiti removers that are effective on brick. These products are biodegradable and designed to remove a variety of paints and coatings without the use of harmful chemicals.

Despite its unusual name, Elephant Snot is a popular choice for removing graffiti from porous surfaces like brick. It’s highly effective at penetrating deep into pores to dissolve graffiti without damaging the substrate.

Krud Kutter produces a graffiti remover that is suitable for use on brick, concrete, and many other surfaces. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, and can remove a variety of paints and stains.

Graffiti Partially Cleaned

Nothing has been done to eliminate the accumulation of old abandoned bicycles around several buildings, which are obstacles for pedestrians and monopolize the bicycle stands. Rusty bikes, flat tires, strewn about in every direction, bicycle stands placed haphazardly, block the way of pedestrians and give an appearance of neglect. Opposite the facade of building D, several wooden tables are additional obstacles.

Bicycles Still Blocking the Walkways

The RTC obtained the incident report for the fire on April 30, 2024, provided by the Clerk's Office of the City of Montreal. Unfortunately only the french document was provided  however we translated the most interesting parts below.

The fire chief determined that the fire was caused by a cigarette thrown into the garbage container.

An alarm system connected to a central unit activated.

The first firefighters were called at 9:10 AM and took 4 minutes and 41 seconds to arrive on site.

Upon departure, the firefighters informed the dispatch center that the alarms raised by the system and the sprinklers were non-urgent, likely because they had difficulty stopping them (as described by eyewitnesses). The firefighters instructed Minto officials to call the alarm company for verification.


The source of the fire was minor but demonstrates that cigarette use is poorly controlled; cameras in strategic locations in the garage would help maintain the security of the premises.

The alarm system and sprinklers operated, which is reassuring. 

The firefighters had to ask Minto to have the alarm and sprinklers checked. Is this related to incidents that occurred early in the morning, twice since the fire?


Additionally, witnesses mentioned that the new speaker system was not working, and residents were unsure whether it was a drill or a real incident.

The Collective has requested that tenants be informed of the status of the alarm project, especially since the old communication system was removed while the new one does not seem fully operational yet.

Incident Report - Fire of April 30 2024

The number of outdoor parking spaces reserved for Minto has grown and now represents nearly 50% of the spaces for buildings A and B. The administration told us in February that these spaces were for contractors, yet they are mostly occupied even on weekends when no work is being done, while the need for visitor parking spaces becomes more urgent.

Parking Spaces: 16 Reserved for Minto

The parking space boundaries have been repainted, but in a way that shows a lack of understanding of how the lines should be used.

According to the Office des Personnes Handicapées du Québec, in addition to having clear designations that the spaces are reserved for people with disabilities, it is recommended to mark a side access aisle between the spaces.

In a parking area adjacent to a building, the "Building" chapter of the Building Code requires the layout of oversized spaces, with a minimum width of 2.4 meters, bordered by a side access aisle of 1.5 meters in width along their entire length. This aisle can be shared between two spaces. The following diagrams show adequate ways to layout parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities.

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