Handicap lift should not have been discontinued

I’ve moved on to a better situation since being evicted from my apartment at Jubilee Apartments in Stellarton, but I have great concern for my neighbours who still live in the building and are left without a working handicap lift.

As the province has affirmed, the building owner did not give proper notice to stop the service. They should be required to reinstate the service.

Documents received at the hearing indicated that the property manager hadn’t paid their bill to repair the elevator to a business in Dartmouth in the amount of $5,660. The period of the unpaid bills range from Oct. 31, 2020 to July 1, 2021.

The property manager says I burned my bridges, but I certainly had help burning them.

They had residents testify at the tenancy hearing that I had “interfered with workers” but all I did was let in a representative of the Department of Labour in who did not have a key. Normally he would be able to access the building, but the lock had been changed by management. He’s employed by the province and is governed by provincial jurisdiction so has the authority to enter whenever he wanted.

No workers testified at the hearing to say that I had actually interfered with their labour. It was all based on second or third party information. No names or companies were provided in the accusations. My opinion is that I never had a fair hearing. I was profiled and there were prejudiced remarks made about me, that would not have held up in court. I feel like my Charter Rights were infringed upon.

I feel like the attacks against me were a witch hunt because of my efforts to save the lift.

Email records provided by the Department of Labour show that the building owners were trying to discontinue the handicap lift since Jan. 19, 2021, despite the fact the Department of Labour has indicated that the lift was in good working order.

If I was doing anything malicious or criminal the police would have there right away and I would have been evicted within days. I feel like the tenancy board should do a public inquest on how this was handled. It’s too late to help me, but if nothing is done, it will keep happening to others.

There were 28 people total including 23 seniors who signed the petition to save the handicap lift. Pat Dunn’s office and Accessibility Nova Scotia should step up to the plate to help the other residents in the building, especially the elderly ones who need the lift.

I would like to express my thanks to Stellarton Mayor Danny MacGillivray and councilmembers for their help and assistance in trying to keep the lift. I also want to thank the neighbours and friends I made in the building and the ones who supported me with my move.

Sincerely, Scott Langille New Glasgow