Police alleged that five people were stabbed after an altercation at the Theta Delta Chi frat house on Madison Ave., near Bloor St. and Spadina Ave. It’s the latest of a series of incidents involving frat houses in the Annex.
“A handful of these buildings are extremely disruptive to this neighbourhood,” said Toronto Councillor Mike Layton, who represents the area.
There are major concerns for the people in the area and those living in the frats because some “buildings aren’t following the fire code or other public safety standards,” Layton said.
Rita Bilerman, Chair of the Annex Residents’ Association, told the TorontoSun most residents view the fraternity houses as “bad neighbours” and that “clearly the events of (Thursday) night, illustrate the very safety of the people at these houses is in jeopardy.”
Theft, property damage, noise, and unkempt properties, are the major complaints residents have with the frats and sororities, Bilerman added. Beyond nuisance complaints, however, there are other much more serious issues.
“There have been sexual assaults, drug and weapon seizures, physical assaults and fires,” she said, adding attempts to deal with the houses individually have been ultimately unsuccessful despite “small successes.”
“It is sad that something bad needs to happen before we can properly address ongoing issues,” Bilerman said.
City council voted in May 2018 to ensure frats and sororities are subject to a multi-tenant licencing process.
Requiring them to apply for the proper licence is supposed to make sure frat and sorority houses meet regulated safety standards.
But more than a year after the vote, Layton said: “none of the frat houses have come to the city to begin the process of getting their licence.”
Layton explained police also “can’t legally enter to see if they (frats) are operating a rooming house.”
A report by the municipal licencing and standards committee — released in April 2018 — included information about complaints Annex residents had raised about the student houses.
According to the report, Toronto Police responded to 78 occurrences of theft, sexual assault, and assault near 14 of the 19 identified fraternity and sorority houses between 2014 and 2018.
The report found 47% of the occurrences involved theft under $5,000 while 12% were related to sexual assault. Assault made up 18% of occurrences.
Between 2013 and 2018, there were 166 non-violent complaints — most frequently about waste, noise, and property standards.
A brief look into past frat house incidents
2008:
More than $125,000 worth of drugs, including cocaine, ketamine, and “magic mushrooms,” were seized by Toronto Police during a 2008 raid on the Delta Kappa Epsilon Alpha Phi house, The Globe and Mail reported in June 2008. Two men were charged in connection with the incident.
2013:
A 24-year-old member of the Beta Theta Phi house died after falling three stories trying to enter the Lowther Ave. frat house through a third-floor window, The Toronto Sun reported in December 2013. According to multiple sources, the Ryerson student forgot his keys and is believed to have climbed the fire escape to the frat house’s third floor where he supposedly slipped and fell to his death while trying to climb up the steep roof.
2015:
Three people were stabbed at a frat house near Bedford Rd. and Lowther Ave. after a brawl spilled out on to the street, CP24 reported in November 2015. The individual that called the police reportedly saw 10-15 people fighting each other with knives and bottles. One of the victims ended up in a hospital with serious injuries while the two other victims suffered “slashing injuries.”
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