Residents of a seniors' home packed a Montreal courtroom on Monday in an attempt to prevent the building's new owner from turning their homes into high-priced apartments.
Tenants of the Mont-Carmel Residence on René-Lévesque Boulevard in downtown Montreal received their eviction notices in January, with the owners explaining that they would eliminate nursing services.
The plans were halted in July after a judge issued an injunction against the owner, Henry Zavryiev.
The tenants say, however, that the conversion work hasn't stopped.
"We already lost our evening nurse," said tenant Gilles Olivier.
More than half of the tenants decided not to fight and have already moved out. The empty apartments are now being rented to younger people.
Their lawyer said that common areas have been closed, carpets have been removed and construction has begun despite the injunction.
"Our clients have nothing against those people, but it's really changing the environment drastically in the residence," said lawyer Manuel Johnson.
Zavryiev's lawyer argues that the case should be heard at the rental board and not before the Quebec Superior Court.
The judge announced he would need a few more days to determine how the case will proceed.
In the meantime, the tenants can not be forced out as the injunction maintaining current services for seniors has been extended for another six months.
