Letter

April 14, 2012

The Honourable Mr.George VanderBurg

Minister of Seniors and Community Supports

Ms. Valerie Puttick, Manager

Mountain View Seniors Housing, Olds, AB.

Mr. Minister:

Eviction Order -Ms. MJP, Unit 16N,Mountain View Seniors Housing Olds

We ask your Office to investigate the cited eviction Order concerning the above named senior Albertan Ms. MJP.

Ms. P. has also informed us that she was subjected to a capacity assessment by Alberta Health Services Geriatric Mental Health apparently due to a Directive by CAO Sam Smallwood. We would be pleased to be informed as to the intended purpose of the assessment.

We have also learned from Ms. P., that the maintenance man, an employee of Mountain View Housing, when in the unit of Ms. P., acted extremely rude and bullying. This was overheard by a gentleman / an authorized Service provider for Telus who expressed shock and offered Ms. P., his business card. We have a copy.

We ask that this eviction Order be rescinded and an apology extended to Ms. P..
Unit # 16N is Ms. Peter’s home.

We would be grateful to be in receipt of a response by Wednesday, the 28th, of April, 2012. Thank you.

Elder Advocates of Alberta Society

cc.

Mr. R. Brent Carlyle, Barrister & solicitor

Mr. Sam Smalldon, CAO, MVSH

Ms. Brenda Pollard. Housing Advisor, Alberta South. Alberta Municipal Affairs. (formerly Alberta Seniors & Community Supports).

Response

via Email

The Honourable George VanderBurg, Minister of Seniors, forwarded a copy of your April 14, 2012 letter on Ms. MJP. and Mountain View Seniors’ Housing (MVSH).  As Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs, I am pleased to respond.
 
Ministry staff have confirmed with MVSH management that an eviction notice was not issued to Ms. P..  MVSH opted not to renew her fixed-term tenancy when it expired on February 29, 2012.  Since then, the management body has entered into two monthly fixed-term tenancies with Ms. P., the most recent of which has an expiry date of April 30, 2012.
 
Under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), fixed-term tenancies end on their expiry date and a new tenancy may be entered into.  In this instance, the management body chose not to offer a new one-year fixed-term tenancy to Ms. P. in order to preserve the rights of other tenants and the landlord.
 
In an effort to continue housing support for Ms. P., the management body offered to consider her application for the Direct to Tenant Rent Supplement Program, which provides a rent supplement paid directly to an eligible tenant to assist with their private market rental costs.  Ms. P. declined this offer.
 
MVSH confirmed that they did not contact Alberta Health Services to request a capacity assessment for Ms. P. and that this request came from an independent third party.
 
Finally, MVSH management has not been made aware that a third party may have overheard the allegation of inappropriate behavior by the maintenance person.  Nonetheless, the management body has instructed maintenance staff to attend her unit only while accompanied by another staff member.
 
Thank you for writing.
 
Sincerely,
 
Paul Whittaker
Deputy Minister
 
cc:     Honourable Doug Griffiths, Minister of Municipal Affairs
        Honourable George VanderBurg, Minister of Seniors

Tags: George VanderBurg, Mountainview Seniors' Housing, Olds, Sam Smalldon, Vallerie Puttick