Private seniors’ home in Montreal’s Rosemont set to close in August
Posted January 24, 2024 5:12 pm.
A Rosemont private seniors’ residence – known as RPAs – told its dozens of residents it will be shutting down.
62 seniors at the Résidence Jardin Botanique were informed it will close mid-August.
According to Radio-Canada, the owner says the closure is due to staff shortages and the renewal of the mortgage, citing the financial institution not wanting to renew the loan if the building near the Olympic Stadium remains an RPA.
At a press conference on another topic on Wednesday, Mayor Valerie Plante, says she wants to work with the provincial government to prevent these kinds of conversions.
“I was very upset,” she said of her reaction when she found out.
“I think anytime a promoter does a flip, which means you take people out of their apartment, house or residence to turn it into something else, it’s a disaster,” Plante said.
“We’re talking about elders and the last thing we should be looking at as a society is elders having no option and searching for a roof.”
Plante says the situation is unacceptable and wants to see stricter regulations at the provincial level.
“The city and most of all the boroughs have limited power, we decided to take action and to put bylaws but of course there has to be a team effort.”
Changes to the borough of Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie zoning bylaws were adopted in the fall 2022. Conversions of RPAs into another type of dwelling are prohibited.
This came after the attempted conversion of the Mont-Carmel RPA in downtown Montreal, which is currently in court.
City officials say they will be investigating what’s happened at the Jardin Botanique RPA.
