Burlington condo owner hit with $40K water main repair bill

Delores Duncan, 69, has lived in Burlington for much of her life. She has lived in a townhouse for the past eight years, where she hoped to spend the rest of her life.

Duncan is on a fixed income of about $2,000 per month. She’s already struggling to meet expenses by keeping the heat down to save money and cutting back on tv costs. She says she goes to the food bank to help with the cost of living.

READ MORE: Toronto’s packed shelters to refer asylum seekers to federal programs: deputy mayor

She says her condo corporation had to replace the water mains in the development, and she’s got a bill for her share which is $40,227.

The corporation suggested options to pay the bill, all of them involved borrowing money at a cost that could be around $300 a month.

“I hope somebody comes out and helps this lady out in one way or another but this is the world we live in and sometimes we get kicked to the curb and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Hamilton real estate agent Rob Golfi says there’s a downside to condo living.

“I feel bad for this lady because there’s a lot of older condo buildings in this city and if you’re stuck living in one and it needs a special assessment it makes it difficult to sell that condo after, unless you pay that $40,000,” Golfi said.

Duncan’s dream of a home to live in may be shattered, “I want to live here until I pass. This is my home, this is what I work hard for.”

CHCH News contacted the condo managers about this bill but they haven’t replied as of Wednesday.

READ MORE: Ontario family doctors facing burnout, shortage to worsen, OMA says