Hastings County February 23, 2017 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
As multiple agencies scramble to relocate residents from the problem-plagued retirement residence in Belleville’s east end, they are also turning their attention to the province.
Monday, February 27, is the deadline: Power will be disconnected at Bel Marine Retirement Residence by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) because of the owner’s alleged failure to make repairs.
It’s alleged the owner did not make necessary repairs to ensure the building is safe.
Of the nearly 50 residents, 20 people are still without new accommodation.
Hastings County Warden Rodney Cooney told county council Thursday there needs to be more regulations for these types of homes that house vulnerable people.
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He says county CAO Jim Pine and other agency representatives will meet with provincial officials to tighten up those regulations..
Cooney says the long term care facilities are not the answer, since they already have long waiting lists.
CAO Jim Pine said the problem is that it’s an unregulated situation and although the residents are not Ontario Works, in other words, county clients, right now there is an obligation to help vulnerable citizens.
Pine said if you close a facility and people have nowhere else to go, they become “our clients.”
Pine told council that as a result of some electrical and building code problems the residents will be without homes on Monday and the county is ready to help find them homes, even if it’s temporary, including in a number of hotels.
