With a broken heart and tears in her eyes, Jeanette LaChance dedicated her Easter weekend to evacuating the home she had lived in for 60 years on the island of Hull.
That's sad. You never want to see your house torn down…neighbors
, said this 77-year-old woman. She took a break from carrying boxes into the van this Good Friday morning.
Mrs. LaChance lives in one of the matchstick houses on Champlain Street in Gatineau that will be targeted by demolition workers in the coming months. Her rental accommodation is in a building that leads to the Îlot de la Caserne real estate project.
No fewer than 298 apartments will be built in the quadrangle between the boulevards des Allumettiers and de Maisonneuve.
Ginette Lachance is taking a break over the Easter weekend in a move she can do without.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Maxim Alain
It really is a family here.
Ms. Lachance underlines. Everyone knows each other and helps each other. If you need someone to take you somewhere, if you need a cup of tea… […] I would struggle to see my friends leave…families leave.
This septuagenarian likes to stay still and stay under one roof. But she says she has been threatened to leave her accommodation before her lease expires next December.
According to Ginette Lachance, a spokeswoman for real estate company Gestion Vesta said she was allegedly told she would have to vacate the apartment by March 31, 2024. She was invited to sign the document. Lease at 231, Rue Champlain.
He was told the building would be closed in early April in anticipation of imminent demolition.
Ms Lachance refused to sign. But she agreed to pack her boxes and find an alternative solution.
Friends from far away on the same street pick her up while she waits for a new permanent address.
This Gatineau resident condemned the way Gestion Vesta treated her and other tenants in the area. They scared us. They gave me a piece of paper and said: “I want to sign. I'll give you a week to sign.”
Retired said.
They didn't treat me like that with everyone else. This made everyone angry. We were not treated well by the company. That was disappointing. That's what annoyed me
Blamed Ginette Lachance.
Another is a frustrated tenant
Etienne Domingue lived with Mrs. Lachance for three years. He said he and a friend had a similar experience in recent days before moving to Sherbrooke, where housing costs are lower than in Gatineau.
This federal government official was able to receive compensation from Gestion Vesta. But this happened at the differences, which is totally unacceptable to me
He \ he said.
The Act on Development and Urban Planning protects tenants who cannot be forced to vacate their accommodation after the following events, i.e. expiry of lease or expiry of a period of three months from the date of issue of the certificate. of authority. In some cases the landlord may also be forced to pay rent compensation and moving expenses.
We should not fight for our rights
Mentioned Étienne Domingue.
Evictions are likely to increase in the coming months on the island of Hull due to the demolition of several match houses.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Maxim Alain
Like him, Jeanette Lachance knew Since a long time
To demolish his house one day. The Îlot de la Caserne subdivision project as well as the fate of the match houses have been in the headlines several times in recent years.
But we don't know the date
Vesta underlines the woman who hopes to adopt a different approach with other tenants of Match Houses henceforth.
the gang of continue. We should act like human beings when it comes to human suffering”,”text”:”I ask for a little more humanity when they want to do such things. There is no reason to act like a goon gang. When human beings suffer, we must behave like human beings.”}}”>I ask for a little more humanity when I want to do something like that. There is no reason to act like that the gang of Goons. We should act like human beings when it comes to human suffering
she said.
“Everyone is under a lot of pressure”
Gestion Vesta declined to comment, explaining that the file Currently in Administrative Housing Tribunal
. Councilor Mario Aube, president of the city of Gatineau and its urban planning advisory committee, was not available for an interview.
For its part, the Island of Hull (ARIH) residents' association hopes so Avoid at all costs
This situation. People are being pushed out of their homes faster than they should be in the most dire housing crisis
said Danielle Kelly-Doust, president ofARIH.
The stories we hear, the people we talk to, everyone is under a lot of pressure, and legitimately, it should be handled differently. The company should be more open to negotiations to support these individuals in terms of compensation. We are in a situation where there is no need for an ultimatum
Adds Mr Kelly-Doust.
As for Jeanette Lachance, she doesn't have high hopes as Easter approaches.
Sometimes wind direction can change. You never know what will happen.
With information from Felix Pilon and Mama Afou
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