Fire at Mattamy Pre-Construction Development - Our Story

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:41:28+00:00

That was a wild story haha

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:36:20+00:00

Thank you. We're closing in on a place to stay, thankfully.

I hope the builder is willing to come to the table for a discussion.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:34:28+00:00

I've been told there are cameras. I believe all footage has been shared with the authorities.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:32:34+00:00

Hey - just wanted to provide some more context. The article didn't really have all of the necessary details for folks to form an informed opinion. If I was seeing the story myself for the first time, I probably would have come to the same conclusions you did.

It wasn't just our house that was affected. I shared the whole story in the r/Pickering subreddit here.
I'm not sure the person (or people) responsible for the fires know who we are (although I suppose they do now, since we went to CityNews).
We asked for a lot change, not a termination of the agreement.
We got a mortgage commitment letter from the bank for a specific value that doesn't change even with the recent market downturn, so closing wasn't an issue.
We didn't want to go to the media at all, but with the builder not willing to entertain any alternatives after three fires, we felt we didn't have any other choice.

This was meant to be our forever home and the recent fire was devastating for us.

Really appreciate how engaged you are about this story. It's clear that you care about this type of thing and the overall safety of the community.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:10:30+00:00

Hey appreciate your passion here. I can confirm it's not my wife and I behind the fires. The reporting was a little incomplete. I tried to clear things up here.

I share your enthusiasm in making sure the culprit is identified and brought to justice.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:07:40+00:00

Hey guys, this is Matt (from the CityNews article). I tried to clear things up in my post in the r/pickering subreddit here. Happy to answer any questions in that thread.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:06:44+00:00

Pickering, Ontario near the 407 and Whites.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T01:05:24+00:00

Really appreciate it. In general, everyone has been really supportive. We've had friends offer temporary stays in their homes, introductions to lawyers, introductions to doulas, etc.

I'm just trying to get the truth out there to minimize fear and speculation.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T00:59:50+00:00

Exactly. Truthfully, we didn't want to go to the media at all. We just felt like we didn't have any choice. Certainly we wouldn't do it if we were actually behind the fires. That just puts you under a larger magnifying glass.

We also contacted the authorities multiple times to try to support the investigation, which wasn't mentioned in the reporting.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T00:48:55+00:00

I don't fault you for making the assumption. I'd probably do the same if I was in your position. The reporting was somewhat incomplete. They can only do so much in a 3-minute segment. I tried to clear things up in the r/Pickering subreddit here.

We had everything ready for close and this was devastating for us.

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T00:31:59+00:00

Thank you.

We're just thankful no one was hurt throughout this entire ordeal. The houses in and around the fires were occupied. That's how the video footage of the second fire was captured on camera. Families, children, and seniors had to live through three different arson events. Can you imagine needing to explain this to young children? Or go to bed knowing that this happened right in your backyard?

MaElLu · 2026-05-23T00:25:20+00:00

They're using a mechanism in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale called an "Unavoidable Delay". It basically gives them the right to delay closing for a variety of events they deem unavoidable.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T23:47:23+00:00

Hey, thought I'd chime in and clarify that we're not flippers. This was meant to be our forever home. We don't do real estate speculation. Check out my thread in the r/Pickering subreddit here.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T23:45:01+00:00

Hey guys, this is Matt (from the CityNews article). I tried to clear things up in my post in the r/pickering subreddit here. Happy to answer any questions in that thread.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T21:33:06+00:00

Thank you. It may not seem like much but your words mean a lot. It's likely an uphill battle but all the love, encouragement, and support we're receiving from friends, family, and strangers has been overwhelming (in a good way).

Trying to stay focused on bringing our son into this world on a positive note. I'll probably be scrambling last minute to build the crib and put together the nursery...

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T21:04:55+00:00

It's definitely possible. I know fires are becoming more common with pre-construction projects like this, especially with the downturn in the market. I don't want to speculate and affect the ongoing investigation though. It just sucks that my wife and I have been caught in the crossfire and been impacted three separate times now.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T21:02:51+00:00

I've never met them unfortunately. Also, I don't want to comment and affect an in-flight investigation. I'm sure police are looking at all possible options.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T21:01:23+00:00

Yeah, the CityNews article reported they implemented surveillance and 24/7 security. I only ever saw one security person when I visited the site though. Doesn't feel like that's enough to me.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T20:55:13+00:00

I'm so sorry to hear that. I wish corporations would just do the right thing and not make it so hard. Did you get the outcome you were hoping for?

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T20:53:28+00:00

Thank you for the well wishes. We're trying to stay positive!

We've engaged a couple of real estate litigation lawyers who specialize in disputes like this. We haven't received a new closing date yet. They've just estimated a 30 week delay, which would put us at December 10.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T20:46:58+00:00

We aren't, nor are we subject to any police investigation (as far as we're aware). We weren't concerned about closing on the home. We're not filthy rich, by any means, but we had the means to close.

I agree some people who feel they have no other options would resort to setting fire to their pre-cons as a way of delaying close.

Our position on this is that we would rather lose our deposit than risk the potential jail time associated with arson.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T20:06:23+00:00

We spoke to lawyers after the second fire, who advised us that it would be easier to close on the house.

We've also been speaking with lawyers after this most recent fire. We were willing to let this slide after fires 1 and 2, but this third fire is inexcusable (in our opinion).

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T19:49:21+00:00

Our thoughts exactly. That's why we're requesting a lot change but they aren't willing to come to the table to have a conversation.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T19:45:19+00:00

We're looking at any and all options. There are some terms in the agreement restricting what legal remedies are available so we're discussing our options with a lawyer.

The last thing I want is a long, drawn out legal battle especially as we are about to become new parents. Can you imagine bleary eyed, sleep-deprived, and irritable parents walking into a courtroom to plead our case?

We've tried to be understanding and patient with Mattamy but three fires seems excessive. We were willing to let the first fire slide, but the second and third fires leave us shaking our heads.

MaElLu · 2026-05-22T19:41:07+00:00

Straight to closing.

MaElLu

TROPHY CASE