Seniors face eviction as private retirement homes shut down

More than 1,000 Quebecers have been evicted from private seniors' homes over a 12-month period.

Over 1,400 seniors in Quebec were evicted between October 2023 and September 2024 as 87 private retirement homes (RPAs) shut down.

These findings come from a province-wide survey conducted by the Association québécoise des retraités des secteurs publics et parapublics (AQRP).

At the Mont-Carmel Residence in Montreal, Normand Breault and other seniors have been fighting to avoid becoming part of these statistics.

The 84-year-old recalls being in complete shock when he received an eviction notice in January 2022.

“I was in even bigger shock since the new owner had explicitly said he would not remove the property’s status [as a private seniors' residence],” Breault told CTV News.

After eight years at Mont-Carmel, he says being forced out would turn his world upside down.

“It was all the residents' lives that were put on the line with this threat of eviction,” he said.

‘A broken model’

The AQRP argues that the ongoing closure of RPAs proves the private model is failing ageing Quebecers.

President Paul-René Roy suggests turning these residences into community housing managed by home aid services.

“If an RPA closes its doors, why not seize the opportunity and transform it into a self-managed residence?” he said. “Either as a cooperative or as a non-profit organization.”

Roy says he believes this approach would prioritize solidarity over profit, addressing what he sees as the main reason so many RPAs are closing.

Without change, he says rising costs could lead to even more shutdowns.

What are your rights?

Legal protections for seniors in these situations are minimal, said lawyer Manuel Johnson.

“Anyone can buy an RPA and decide to shut it down,” he explained. “Meanwhile, current laws leave seniors with very little recourse in that situation.”

Owners must give residents nine months' notice, and seniors are allowed to remain in the building even if it loses its RPA status, but Johnson says that’s far from a real solution.

“That also means losing the services they were previously guaranteed,” he said. “People chose these environments to benefit from the services they need. Without them, these residences are no longer adequate options.”

Breault agrees and wants to see a push for reform in Quebec.

“The owners of private residences make money at seniors' expense,” he said. “What’s worse is that the current provincial government isn’t doing anything to help us.”

The AQRP said it has repeatedly presented its proposal to the Quebec government, advocating for a shift toward community-based senior housing.

As of now, the ministry responsible for seniors has not responded.