10 hours ago
Blind man on the verge of eviction after 50 years in Ontario as Canada's housing crisis turns into corporate hunger games
Andras Henye, a disabled and partially sighted man in his late 50s, is fighting for his home and life's stability, as the Ontario Court of Appeal has refused to hear his case, leaving him on the brink of eviction.
Henye, who moved into the apartment in the 1970s and watched his parents live and die there, is being forced out for allegedly violating anti-smoking rules, despite having a grandfathered right and complying with all court orders to quit smoking inside
'My home is my life. Losing it would mean losing everything, possibly my life,' he told
Global News
. He is current on rent and ceased smoking long ago, yet the eviction order still stands.
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What did the law say?
Justice Julie Thorburn, in rejecting his appeal, acknowledged his 'attachment to the unit and his health challenges,' but concluded Henye's legal arguments lacked substance. The decision allows the eviction to proceed immediately.
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Henye's lawyer, Dr. Michael Motala, raised concerns about procedural fairness at the Landlord and Tenant Board. He says Henye wasn't permitted to present preliminary defence arguments or seek legal representation, despite his disability and precarious situation.
Community advocates warn Henye's case reflects a broader pattern dubbed 'REIT-ovictions', when real-estate investment trusts displace vulnerable residents.
High Park advocate Melinda McInnes notes a rising number of long-time tenants facing a similar fate. She emphasized, 'Housing is a human right, not a bump in a monthly dividend cheque,' fearing this decision may empower corporate landlords.
Minto Apartment REIT, Henye's landlord, has declined to comment on the eviction specifics but noted the dispute has been 'ongoing for many years'.
Now facing homelessness, Henye's plea is simple: 'I simply want fair treatment and the right to live my life peacefully,' he said.
The broader issue
Canada is in the middle of a deepening
housing
and affordability crisis, pushing thousands of vulnerable tenants to the margins:
Rising evictions and renovictions:
In Toronto, 67 percent of tenants surveyed reported threats of eviction, often tied to landlords reclaiming units for themselves or renovating, with many renters voluntarily leaving to avoid formal processes.
Homeownership out of reach:
Canadian household debt hit record highs, over 100 percent of GDP, and the average home price exceeds $817,000, requiring more than nine times the median household income, among the worst affordability ratios globally.
Low
supply
persists:
Although building permits are up, housing starts reached 278,600 annualized in April 2025, a 30 percent monthly surge.
Ontario's 2025 rent control limits Canada's $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund, and nearly $1 billion earmarked for rental development in Toronto, but advocates insist robust tenant protections, affordable supply, and systemic fairness are still urgently needed.
When the justice system and housing market fail those who can't afford to move, the real cost is borne by the most vulnerable: the disabled, the aging, and the low-income. Without change, stories like Henye's
will
become far too common.
