Kitchener Tenants Reeling After Flood: "Absolutely No Help On-Site," Says Resident

Imagine this: it’s a regular Monday evening, you’re settling in, and suddenly, water starts pouring into your apartment. Not just a leak, mind you, but a full-blown cascade, as if the heavens decided to open up right inside your living room. That's precisely what happened to Jessica Lonergan and numerous other residents at a Skyline Living apartment building on David Bergey Drive in Kitchener.

For Lonergan, the night of the flood was nothing short of a nightmare. Water began to gush through her ceiling, creating an immediate and overwhelming sense of panic. Naturally, her first instinct was to call for help, to reach out to building management – anyone, really, who could offer guidance or practical assistance. But what she encountered was, by her account, a frustrating void. She tried multiple emergency lines, only to be met with voicemails, leaving her feeling utterly isolated in a rapidly deteriorating situation.

“There was absolutely no help on-site,” Lonergan recounted, her voice still carrying the weight of that chaotic night. You can just imagine the fear and helplessness; watching your home fill with water, knowing your belongings are being ruined, and feeling completely alone in the crisis. It's a truly harrowing experience, one that no tenant should ever have to face without immediate support.

As the water continued to rise, soaking everything in its path, Lonergan and her neighbours were left to scramble. They salvaged what they could, but many personal items, irreplaceable memories, and everyday essentials were simply lost to the deluge. Another tenant, Samantha Eby, echoed similar sentiments of distress and a profound lack of support during the critical initial hours of the flooding incident.

While Skyline Living later issued a statement asserting that staff were “on-site immediately” and that hotel rooms and other assistance were provided, this sharply contradicts the lived experience of residents like Lonergan. The discrepancy between management's claims and the tenants' on-the-ground reality has only compounded their frustration. What good are emergency protocols if they don't translate into tangible, visible support when disaster strikes?

Ultimately, this incident shines a spotlight on the critical need for clear, present, and effective emergency response from property management. When people's homes and sense of security are compromised, the expectation for immediate, human assistance isn't just reasonable – it's essential. For Jessica Lonergan and her neighbours, the lingering question remains: where was the help when they needed it most?