Quebec solidaire tables bill to prevent more seniors from getting evicted
Eighty-three-year-old Constance Vaudrin isn’t sure what the future has in store for her.
Last February, she and roughly 200 tenants from the Résidence Mont-Carmel on René-Lévesque Boulevard East in downtown Montreal were notified that their assisted living apartments would be repurposed into a traditional apartment building, without the services to seniors.
"Obviously, I mean, there would be no services, there would be no room, no place to meet with the residents," said Vaudrin.
"It would be s simple apartment block. I can't get anywhere so I would move out."
But moving out is not an option for most. Montreal is facing a record-low occupancy rate. Housing units are rare and increasingly unaffordable for low-income families and seniors.
It's all perfectly legal for the new owners of the Résidence Mont-Carmel. But Québec solidaire (QS) introduced a bill at the National Assembly that would considerably improve protection for elderly tenants. If passed into law, seniors over 65 who have lived in the same apartment for more than five years could not be forced out.
"The housing crisis has gotten worse. So, we need to modernize that law, we need to protect seniors today,” said QS spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
The current law only protects seniors 70 and older, who have lived in the same unit for 10 years, said Françoise David, who co-founded Quebec-Solidaire and sponsored the original bill six years ago
"It's more and more difficult with everybody, but especially for seniors to be sure they will stay in their apartment,” David said.
But Varin and housing activists say tenant laws should be extended even further to prevent the conversion of seniors' homes into regular rental units.
Housing Minister Andrée Laforest could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
But with an election coming this fall, the legislative window to adopt this proposed law is narrowing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.