An 83-year-old Laval resident is in shock because she has to leave the house where she has lived for 30 years despite everything There Law to protect older people who are at risk in such situations.
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“I see, I've started emptying out the accumulated stuff. I don't know where I'm going to go,” says Andrée Bertrand, who met four and a half blocks from Laval, where she pays $456 a month.
At the beginning of December, she received a notice from her landlord that she was taking back her apartment, who wanted to accommodate her aunt, who was suffering from Alzheimer's, there.
Although she initially refused to take it back, she eventually signed a termination agreement with the owner for an amount of $3,884 to cover moving costs and three months' rent.
“I was told that it was a lost cause, that I would lose everything if I didn't sign,” says the woman, who lives on meager income from her pension, barely more than $21,000 a year.
“Violation”
Since 2016, a new article in the Civil Code has fundamentally protected tenants aged 70 and over who have lived in their apartment for more than ten years and are entitled to a low rent based on their income.
There is an exception if the person who benefits from the accommodation is also 70 years old or older,” warns Marjolaine Condrain-Morel, lawyer and right-wing populist at Éducaloi.
This person must also be a family member whose primary supporter is the owner.
“It is a violation that leaves a door open for housing restoration. We need to know: Does the law protect us or not? says Madame Bertrand's son Normand Dubois indignantly.
The 62-year-old looks after his disabled daughter and cannot accommodate his mother or his two sisters in his small house.
Amid the housing crisis, finding a new roof isn't easy.
“Maybe I found a place for $2,100, which with government help would cost me a thousand dollars. If it's more than that, I'm on the street!”, worries Ms. Bertrand.
The target group is older people
For the Association of Housing Committees and Tenant Associations of Quebec (RCLAQ), this shows that the system still allows seniors who are at risk of becoming homeless to escape.
“Older people are particularly affected by evictions because they have lived in their homes for a long time and do not pay much. They often lack the strength to fight,” emphasizes spokesman Cédric Dussault.
He advises people to always consult their housing committee before signing anything. “Often there is a difference between what the law says on paper and what happens in reality,” he says.
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