The elders of the Mont-Carmel residence have reason to pop the champagne: real estate investor Henry Zavriyev has finally decided not to evict them after a long fight over nearly two years.
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“It’s a victory! We fought so hard for this and now we see that Mr. Zavriyev is going backwards,” rejoices Constance Vaudrin, a resident member of the Save Mont-Carmel committee.
Thirty-year-old real estate investor Henry Zavriyev sent a letter on Tuesday morning to residents who remained in their homes throughout the saga to inform them that he was reversing course.
“We have decided to maintain the allocation of your accommodation in the Mont-Carmel seniors’ residence and to continue to offer the same level of services there as in recent years, for the foreseeable future,” sign Mr. Zavriyev.
Residents, however, remain mixed.
“It is still a victory which raises questions because we have been living like ousted-resisters in an unacceptable situation for two years. He will have to respect his promises and his commitments,” insists Normand Breault, also a member of the committee.
Normand Breault, member of the Save Mont-Carmel committee
Mario Beauregard / QMI Agency
Long fight
In December 2021, the young real estate investor Henry Zavriyev, who made headlines for his numerous evictions of tenants, bought the seniors’ residence.
Photo taken from the site leyad.ca
A few days later, all residents received an eviction notice telling them that the building was going to change its purpose by becoming a multi-generational rental property.
After the cutting of several services, such as nurse or janitor positions, and the closure of many common places, such as the library or the auditorium, several residents decided to leave reluctantly.
Others had chosen to fight in court to contest their eviction, which then plunged them into a long legal saga in the Superior Court of Quebec, the Court of Appeal and, finally, the Administrative Housing Tribunal ( TAL) since 2022.
Mario Beauregard / QMI Agency
Far from the end
For residents, the fight is far from over.
“Mont-Carmel initially had 216 RPA housing units. There are only 47 left. There is no question for us to be satisfied with this situation,” adds Ms. Vaudrin, who also intends to defend the residents who left because of stress.
The group also deplores the lack of measures to assert the right to housing and to stay in place or the right to security of tenure, particularly for seniors.
“We intend to continue the fight on the political level and bring our solidarity to the battles that will be waged to obtain the protection measures demanded from all sides on the question of the right to housing for seniors,” insisted Mr. Breault.