Twenty months. This is the time that a couple of disabled elderly people had to wait before obtaining a grant to adapt their housing, reveals the ombudsman of Montreal. In her annual report filed on Monday, Nadine Mailloux denounces the undue delays in the processing of this type of file by the City’s Housing Department.
The request for assistance from the Home Adaptation Program (PAD) was submitted by the couple in December 2019 to the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ). The man has Parkinson’s disease and needs help with his daily activities. His wife struggles to give him this help given her own physical condition.
In the spring of 2020, the file was transferred to the City of Montreal, which now manages the PAD on its territory. An occupational therapist’s report recommends that the accommodation adaptation work be carried out the following fall.
But a lack of staff at the City’s Housing Service, combined with the pandemic, is delaying the handling of the file and the deadlines are stretching. The intervention of the ombudsman made it possible to speed up the processing of the file, but it took more than a year and a half for the couple to finally receive their grant.
“The systemic problem of delays in the administration of this program remains worrying and […] it is still likely to end, for many vulnerable people, in a denial of essential services,” notes ombudsman Nadine Mailloux in her report. It calls for vigilance since some vulnerable people could be forced to leave their homes because they were unable to adapt their accommodation within a reasonable time.
The head of housing on the city’s executive committee, Benoit Dorais, acknowledges that the city’s taking over of the PAD in 2020 has had an impact on the deadlines. But according to him, the corrections made later have improved the situation. “We are going to work to ensure that people can get an answer quickly, on time,” he promised during the city council meeting on Monday.
Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
on the grill
In 2021, the office of the ombudsman of Montreal handled 2,365 files relating to a variety of issues such as unsanitary conditions, nuisances and universal accessibility. Some 150 complaints and requests for information and inquiries concerned the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough.
In particular, the ombudsman had to negotiate with the borough about the lack of a landing stage in front of a residence for the elderly. In 2019, the situation was complicated with the addition of a contraflow bicycle lane in front of the building, which forced the elderly to “navigate through two bicycle lanes” to access paratransit.
To resolve the situation temporarily, the borough set up two landing stages 50 meters from the entrance to the building, which did not satisfy the ombudsman. After discussions, the borough finally agreed to install a landing stage in front of the building. “This file highlights the importance of integrating the principles of universal accessibility from the design of new facilities,” emphasizes the ombudsman.
Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve was also torn about the referendum consultation and approval process for the construction of a 24-unit residential building. Citizens had complained about the handling of the file by the borough.
A total of 45 citizen demands were required for the holding of a referendum. The borough received 52, but rejected 11 because some information was deemed illegible. After reviewing the original documents, the Ombudsman concludes that four requests should have been granted. “We believe that the borough has not demonstrated the flexibility required to facilitate the full participation of eligible voters,” explains the ombudsman.
Nadine Mailloux recommended that the borough resume the whole process, which was refused.
Monday afternoon, Mayor Pierre Lessard-Blais invoked the complexity of the rules imposed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs due to COVID-19 to explain the borough’s decision. “We always want to show great openness in our democratic processes, but the law must also be respected,” he said.
The elected official also argued that resuming the procedures a year and a half after the approval of the real estate project would cause “major prejudice” to the promoter.
Parks taken over
In his report, the ombudsman also mentions the parks that were stormed by Montrealers during the pandemic. In some of them, the facilities are insufficient or poorly maintained and the residents of the surroundings of these parks suffer the consequences: people urinate or defecate on their grounds or in their parking lots, soiled tissues lying on the ground and nauseating odors are persistent.
The ombudsman has initiated discussions with the boroughs concerned. In the case of Parc des Carrières, located in the borough of Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, a chemical toilet was added. Instantly, the problems were solved in this sector, underlines the report.