Que. woman pleading with city council to let her stay in her commercial-zone apartment

A Quebec woman is pleading with her home city of Saint-Lazare to let her stay in her apartment of nearly three years after she was asked to leave because of a zoning issue.

“My son is still here with me,” Katie Mitchell told CTV, she says she was given a deadline to move out because she’s living in a commercial zone.

Mitchell's landlord operated his business in the building for more than a decade. In 2020, he moved it to his home and rented out the unit. Three years later, the city wants the space to be used as it's zoned.

She says she’s desperately looking for a new place to live, but that she’s having trouble finding somewhere that can accommodate her dog and her budget.

She brought her story directly to council during Tuesday night’s city hall meeting.

“There is a huge housing shortage of housing for low income people,” Mitchell told council.

“I’m trying the best I can right now,” she said, adding she’s facing the possibility of moving herself and her dog into her vehicle for shelter.

“We can't really make an exception,” responded Saint-Lazare Mayor Genevieve Lachance. “I would suggest that you have (your landlord) contact urban planning and they can see what he is willing to do.”

CTV News reached the landlord over the phone, who said he’s working to rezone the property into a residential unit – calling it a lengthy and expensive process, with no guarantee it will be accepted by the city.