Tenants fear for future as their Charlottetown apartment complex starts turning into condos

Residents of the Waterview Heights complex in Charlottetown are worried about having to look for new housing in the wake of some major changes.

The rental complex near Spring Park has changed hands and the buildings are being turned into condominiums.  

Residents were given paper notices from the landlord that said in part: "We have some vacant units that will be sold first. Additionally, we are asking interested tenants to reach out at this time if they wish to explore the possibility of owning their unit." The note then gave a local real estate agent's name and number.  

Kim Mears is one of the tenants who voiced concerns Tuesday evening at an informal gathering that included some provincial politicians. She said the uncertainty of what could happen scares her.

"Not knowing who owns the building that I'm in, or what's going to happen, or whether I'm going to wake up and there's going to be another notice on my door is really unsettling," she said.

Mears lives by herself and can't afford to buy a home on a single income, so expects she will be a lifelong renter.

"As a tenant, I just have to take it day by day and just hope… that I'm going to continue to have a place to live."

Clarity and communication called for

Another tenant, Jim Millard, said there's been virtually no communication with the landlord about the situation. 

"We haven't really had any. You find a note taped to your door, you haven't got a face to it," he said. "It caught everybody by surprise."

He is trying to remain optimistic but said some tenants, himself included, have started searching for other places to live as a precaution.  

"I am hopeful that this is all going to start moving forward, and whatever gaps that there are in the whole situation right now can be filled in and leave people with a little bit better sense of security in where they live," he said.

Only vacant units being sold?

Provincial Housing Minister Rob Lantz was at the gathering of tenants on Tuesday evening. He said the developer assured him he would not attempt to sell Waterview Heights units that are currently occupied by tenants.

"I've spent a lot of time over the last week or more speaking with the owner of this property, and he's given me some assurances that he's moving very carefully and slowly," Lantz said. 

The minister said he wants to "continue the dialogue" to provide clarity and ensure that everyone concerned understands their rights.

Gord McNeilly, the Liberal MLA for Charlottetown West Royalty, was also at the meeting.

It's not transactions, this is their lives.— MLA Gord McNeilly

"I think it was a good chance to communicate with the residents and hear what imbalance is happening to them in their lives, and how it affects them," he said. 

Of the condominium conversion at Waterview Heights, he said: "It's not transactions, this is their lives."

'Scary' rental market

Ryan MacRae with P.E.I. Fight for Affordable Housing said renting in today's housing market is far from easy.

"It's tough. Tenants live in precarity. That's the reality when we have a housing market that is based off of profit," he said.

"People have to rely on the benevolence of their landlord to have secure housing. It's scary."

MacRae said better legislation to protect tenants would be ideal to prevent situations like this from happening. In this particular situation, he'd love to see the provincial government getting more involved.

"It would be great to see the province buy these units to increase the stock of public housing that we have here and give those tenants some housing security," he said.

As for Mears, the meeting gave her some hope.

"It was great to express our concerns to our elected officials and to have them listen, and try to get some assurances that our homes are going to remain our homes," she said.

"I do know that they're going to try to do what they can."