Montreal tenant holds out while developer eyes demolition
The City of Montreal has granted a demolition permit to a developer that wants to tear down and build a new residential tower, but the existing building still has someone living in it who refuses to leave.
The largely abandoned building sits at the corner of Sainte-Catherine East and Saint-Hubert, right in front of Place Emilie-Gamelin.
Carla White has called her small studio apartment home for more than 10 years.
"When I found this place, I mean it's a Godsend. I swear it's a Godsend. I remember standing there, I said I could make this work," White said.
She's the only tenant left in the building; all her neighbours are gone. They reached deals with developer Mondev, who plans to demolish the building.
Mondev wants to build a new tower with more than 170 units.
"We have a great replacement project," said Michael Owen, a senior partner at Mondev. "The first phase will be 176 apartments. The neighbourhood is badly in need of redevelopment."
White has held out. She negotiated with Mondev but rejected their offers.
"First it was $7,500, then it went to $12,000, then it went to $20,000," White said.
The developer also offered White an apartment at her current rent of $400 a month. She turned it down because she said it didn't look safe.
Mondev said White's demands were completely unreasonable.
"At one time, it was enormous sums of money in the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars," Owen said. "At other times, it was an apartment, a penthouse apartment with a specific western view and a large terrace."
Both White and her lawyer, Manuel Johnson, dispute these claims. Johnson says $20,000 doesn't go far these days, saying it "might give her stability for a few months, maybe a year," but then will be back to square one.
"She risks finding herself homeless on the street."
The City of Montreal granted Mondev a demolition permit.
"Mondev demonstrated that several relocation options were offered to the tenant and consequently the permit was issued," a spokesperson for the mayor said.
"The city understands clearly that we have attempted in good faith, attempted to solve the problem that Ms. White faces," Owen said.
White was served with an eviction notice and must vacate her apartment by June 30.
"She's going to be out on the street on July 1 with $1,200 in the pocket. That's going to be enough for her maybe to put some of her stuff in storage while she stays in a homeless shelter," Johnson said.
Johnson says they will try to cancel the permit.
Mondev says it wants to begin demolition by September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
WATCH LIVE Charges against world's top golfer Scottie Scheffler dropped after arrest outside PGA Championship
Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top male golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
How Trump's hush money trial verdict could affect the 2024 election
Here is how three potential outcomes from the jury room ─ a guilty verdict, an acquittal or a hung jury ─ could affect the presidential campaign.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
An Iceland volcano starts erupting again, spewing lava into the sky
A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Wednesday for the fifth time since December, spewing red streams of lava in the latest display of nature’s power and triggering the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
'Are you driving?' U.S. man with suspended licence shows up on court Zoom call while behind the wheel
A Michigan man with a suspended driver's licence didn't appear to have thought through a recent court appearance made on video, joining the Zoom call while driving.