'Take some concrete action': Lions Place residents pushing to keep building as a non-profit

Residents of Lions Place – a downtown Winnipeg building – are continuing their push to keep the housing complex as a non-profit.

This push comes after tenants were informed in July that the current owners could no longer afford to operate the building, leaving many residents worried that a sale would lead to higher rent. The 287-unit building is mainly home to people over the age of 55, living on low to modest incomes.

“We are concerned about the middle-income seniors living in our district and living in our community – community is the best word for it,” said Gerald Brown, chairperson of the Lions Place Residents Council Seniors Action Committee.

“We’re really concerned about the vacuum in the legislation that has nothing in it that covers seniors.”

On Wednesday, building residents gathered in front of Families Minister Rochelle Squires' office to call on the province to bring in emergency legislation that would require special approval for the sale of government-funded, non-profit housing.

The Lions Place tenants are also asking Squires to put a 90-day pause on the sale of the housing complex.

“We’ve sent a letter to Minister Squires asking her to take some concrete action,” said Tom Simms, the son of a Lions Place resident.

In a statement from a government spokesperson, the province said it is committed to creating social and affordable housing, and working with housing partners to ensure Manitobans have a safe and affordable place to live.

The spokesperson said the government has had “productive” conversations about Lions Place with stakeholders, including the Seniors Action Committee and other levels of government, and it’s committed to making sure all residents have a place to call home.

- With files from CTV’s Dan Vadeboncoeur.