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Derivda Jones asks Markham council for temporary water reconnection after shutoff
Summary
At the April 1 council meeting, resident Derivda Jones said the city shut off her water because title to her late mother's home was never transferred; she requested a temporary reconnection citing severe health limitations and a doctor's note. City officials said the issue is a civil/title matter and advised legal action while offering administrative follow-up.
Derivda Jones told the Markham City Council that her water was shut off despite her paying the bill, because the property title was never transferred following her mother’s death. Jones said she is largely bedbound with chronic back pain and that a doctor provided a certification letter to the water department; she asked the council to reconnect water temporarily so she could pack belongings and make moving arrangements.
“I did pay my water bill on time...my water was shut off, and I have now been told the home is considered uninhabitable,” Jones said during public comment, adding that she cannot pursue probate counsel due to financial constraints. Mayor Roger Agpawa responded that the city generally cannot intervene in private property ownership disputes: “we cannot intervene in this situation because the property is not legally in your name,” and advised Jones to pursue court action to obtain legal control of the property. City staff said they would follow up administratively to confirm status but stressed the city’s legal limits.
No formal motion or relief was made on the floor; the council invited further administrative follow-up. The exchange was presented during the meeting’s public comment period, and council members urged Jones to pursue probate or other legal avenues while the city offered to help where legally possible.
