Couple wins right to stay in Verdun apartment despite building being converted to supervised housing
A couple is breathing a sigh of relief after winning the right to stay in their Verdun apartment.
This comes despite the fact that their building is being turned into supervised housing for patients from the Douglas Hospital
Dean Packham and Linda Lee might've been strangers when they moved into their residential building almost 50 years ago but since then, they fell in love and raised a son together.
It all happened in their 5 1/2 on Beurling Street.
In October 2023, the couple received an eviction notice. Their new landlord, a private company, cited the supervised housing place for patients at the Douglas Hospital.
It's part of a collaboration between the business, the Douglas and the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'île-de-Montréal.
"We are in a system that even when it is used by social services themselves we are in a system that is clearly lacking for protecting tenants rights," said Cédric Dussault, a tenants' rights advocate.
A local housing advocacy group reached out to tenants to offer their help and knowledge.
"These are very vulnerable people who were living in this building. These were elderly people, newcomers, people on welfare living in that building," said Kay Lockyer, Comité d'action des citoyen.nes de Verdun.
With support from the group, Packham and Lee brought their case to the housing tribunal and won.
They cited a law that prohibits the eviction of tenants over the age of 70 and those who have occupied a dwelling for more than 10 years.
"Otherwise, we wouldn't have stood a chance. We didn't know what to do," said Packham.
As for other tenants, the regional health board says the private company offered its help to relocate them.
In a statement to CTV News, the CIUSSS says: "We are confident that all relocation procedures have been carried out in compliance with the law, in a respectful manner and with the well-being of the tenants in mind. No household is left homeless."
Meanwhile, some advocates say more resources have to be allocated to tenants.
"When you're speaking of elderly people, you have a lot of people who know their rights, but they don't necessarily have the time, the knowledge or the energy to fight back," Dussault said.
With their worries behind, Packham and Lee are turning a new leaf.
CTV News reached out to Ressources l'ascension, the business that now owns the Verdun buildings, but did not hear back before publication time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.