After almost 40 years in the same apartment, 82-year-old Pierino Di Tonno is facing eviction.
“I don’t feel very good,” said Di Tonno. “(My life is) very difficult. That is my problem right now.”
Di Tonno’s landlords want to renovate the building. While he has gone to the rental board, he is still awaiting the decision. In the meantime, his case has become the public face of a larger problem.
“We had 16 per cent of the population in 2005 which were seniors living alone in their apartments,” said Petite-Patrie tenant’s committee coordinator Martin Blanchard. “Now, it’s less than 5 per cent or so in 10 years. We have lost two-thirds of our senior citizens, mainly because they are being evicted for a question of profit, of making more money. This is very tragic.”
Now, a movement is underway to sound the alarm.
“If nothing is done now, this phenomenon is going to increase because the number of seniors is going to increase,” said Quebec Senior’s Federation spokesperson Marco Guerrera.
Liliane Dufour is another senior who was recently evicted at age 76. She said the experience left her feeling defeated.
“I felt old and before, I didn’t feel old,” she said. “It made me feel like 10 years more on my shoulders. I lost a lot of strength.”
In 2015, Quebec Solidaire introduced Bill 4-92 to the National Assembly, which would offer some protection to seniors. According to party spokesperson Francoise David, the bill would require a landlord to find a new apartment within five kilometers for an evictee that is over 65 or financially disadvantaged or handicapped.
A spokesperson for the minister responsible for that file said the government is analyzing the bill, but would not give a deadline.
