A suburb in the town of Stonewall, Manitoba is divided over a proposed home for people with disabilities.
Michael Maartense, 32, lives with an intellectual disability and has resided on his own in Stonewall since he was 21.
Now, his mom says, he wants to move.
"Lately he's been saying he'd like to move into a group home with his friends and we're noticing he does need more help," said Marilyn Maartense.
Michael, and two other people with disabilities, has been chosen to live in a house in a Stonewall suburb. The Association for Community Living, who helps people like Michael, wants to rent the home to make it possible.
The association will need approval from town council to use it as a residential care facility.
There is one other hurdle; some people living in the suburb are opposed to the proposal.
At a recent public hearing, some parents expressed safety concerns about who will live in the house. They want the town to turn down the application.
The Association for Community Living said people have nothing to worry about, and that two employees will work in the home.
"It's just like a family that lives there. Some people need support with meals, some people need support with medication and they are just part of the community," said Tara Smith from ACL.
An anonymous email to CTV from a concerned resident questioned why the organization is renting such an upscale house and accused the group of withholding information.
"ACL has failed to reach out to the residents…and inform them in an open and transparent manner…this is an issue of rezoning a residential area, not about disabilities…proponents of the rezoning have already started to bully and harass those opposed,” the email read.
Maartense and others have written letters to the local paper in support of the proposal.
"It's not that I want to cause dissention or anything like that. I want to provide the knowledge that they need to be able to create acceptance," said Marilyn Maartense.
ACL said it runs five similar homes in Stonewall.
A public hearing is set for January 6 when town council will make a final decision. The council can’t comment until the hearing is complete.
