Gatineau deems dozens of new basement suites illegal

Tenants of 37 newly constructed apartments in the east end of Gatineau, Que., are facing eviction after the municipality deemed their basement units illegal.

The suites are located in the basements of semi-detached homes bult since 2016 in the Domaine du Lac development in the Templeton sector of Gatineau, along rues Marcelle-Ferron, Idola-Caint-Jean and Alice-Parizeau.

The homebuilders included the basement apartments at the request of buyers such as Joey Mazerolle, who wanted to add an income property to his planned home. Mazerolle lives in the basement unit and rents out the main home above.

"From the start, we told the builder we wanted them to build us a duplex, but they immediately told us the city wouldn't accept that here," Mazerolle told Radio-Canada in French.

According to Mazerolle, the builder instead finished the basement suite, complete with a full kitchen and separate entrance, but maintained stairs connecting it to the main home.

Mazerolle said his builder, Construction Unik, told him the stairs would convince the municipality to classify the suites as connected apartments rather than separate abodes, but the city didn't see it that way.

In letters to residents, the City of Gatineau notified them it doesn't distinguish between secondary suites and duplexes.

And since the area isn't zoned for duplexes, the apartments are illegal and may have to be dismantled.

Paid $30K extra

Several homebuyers told Radio-Canada they paid their homebuilders premiums of up to $30,000 for the fully finished basement units.

Construction Unik declined Radio-Canada's request for an interview, but did confirm it built as many as seven basement units in Domaine du Lac The company claims the munipality said the units would be allowed, even though though don't meet the letter of Gatineau's zoning law.

In a written response to Radio-Canada, the city claims the builder's plans called for unfinished basements.

Zoning change unlikely

Reached for comment Wednesday, Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneud-Jobin said there's no ambiguity.

"I'll try to play it safe with the words I use, but somebody didn't tell the truth," said Pedneud-Jobin. "The rules were very, very clear from the city point of view."

Radio-Canada has learned that one of the new homeowners in Domaine du Lac is pushing to get city council to amend the zoning bylaw in the area to allow for duplexes.

Council is expected to discuss the motion in February, but Pednaud-Jobin signalled it's unlikey to passs.

"The final result is that some changes will have to be made, and we're not going to change the zoning," he said. "That neighbourhood cannot have as many residents, it's not built that way. People will have to adapt their houses to respect the rules."

The councillor for the area, Pierre Lanthier, told Radio-Canada he also opposes any change current zoning restrictions.

Possible evictions

Homeowners who've been living in Domaine du Lac since before the new semis were built were buoyed by the mayor's comments.

"We have too many people living in the neighbourhood. It makes the water pressure really low and the streets are too narrow [from parking] for emerngency vehicles," said Alyssa Boun, a resident since 2014.

Tanya Houle, a tenant in one of the basement apartments, said she's nervous about what might come next.

"With a one-month-old baby, and winter here, moving would of course be complicated," Houle said.

Both Pedneaud-Jobin and Lanthier said any evictions, if necessary, won't be rushed.

"We're looking at what kind of help we can give them," Pedneaud-Jobin said.