Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Social assistance recipient in cold apartment for days

By: Carol Sanders

Posted: 12/9/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 12/9/2012 10:28 AM | Updates

Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press Cory Ciunyk shows the furnace in his apartment building that�s been non-functional for four days.

Cold enough for ya? Don't even ask Cory Ciunyk.

On Saturday, when the wind chill was -26, the North End renter had been without heat for four days.

The tenant called the owner and the city Wednesday when the furnace went on the fritz.

While waiting for someone to fix it, the Pritchard Avenue resident used the stove and a space heater his mom gave him to heat the tiny suite he rents in a rundown house. When the stove quit working, he'd had enough. He's worried the water pipes will freeze and then there will be an even bigger problem.

He decided to go public Saturday in the hope that someone will do something.

Ciunyk, 41, is on disability assistance after smoke inhalation from a 2002 house fire damaged his lungs. He receives a shelter allowance of $285 and the monthly rent for his two-room suite is $353.

"Where am I supposed to move?" he asked, wheezing as he padded around his cramped home in slippers and multiple layers of clothing.

"I'm sleeping in a coat with blankets and a hood pulled over my head."

The house has four suites but just one other is occupied now, he said. Social assistance pays his rent directly to the landlord, he said.

Ciunyk said he checked the furnace himself and the pilot light won't stay lit. For days, he has been texting and phoning his landlord, who was out of town. He also repeatedly called the backup number the landlord left in case he wasn't available.

"I couldn't get hold of either one."

On Wednesday, Ciunyk called the City of Winnipeg's 311 number.

A bylaw enforcement officer came and checked the place out and issued an order for the furnace to be fixed, he said. Nothing has been done since then.

Ciunyk has had two landlords and three property managers at the place he's lived in for just over a year. The landlord he has now is a man in his 20s who owns a plumbing and heating business, he said. The landlord did not respond to a request for comment.

"He seems like a nice guy," said his tenant.

It's not a nice place, though, Ciunyk acknowledged. Since moving in, he's complained about bedbugs and mice, he said. The cold is too much, though, he said.

"I can't deal with this."

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 9, 2012 A3

History

Updated on Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 10:28 AM CST: Corrects reference to wind chill

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.