Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt says he's angry Widlake Properties went back on its word after promising it would not evict seniors from their homes while demolishing and rebuilding a new building.

Nearly 30 tenants in a Transcona apartment block have been handed eviction notices after the property management company made last-minute changes to its demolition plan.

Councillor Russ Wyatt says Widlake Properties wouldn't have been allowed to evict the Transcona senior home residents if it had been upfront with the city about its plans. (CBC) A total of 27 residents at 500 Widlake Street are affected by the changes.

"They would have not gotten the decision that they got out of community committee had they been upfront and actually said they were intending or thinking of doing their original intent all along," Wyatt said.

Wyatt said Widlake initially went to a city committee and told members it would demolish and rebuild in two phases in order to prevent displacing residents. But Wyatt has since learned the company has altered its plans, and will do the work in one phase to save time and money.

"The commitment was made by Mr. Sanderson and his representatives at the community committee that they would not negatively impact the residents and as a matter of fact what they committed to do was assist them."

Residents caught off guard

Marianne Mosser and other tenants at a Transcona apartment block are worried about where they'll live after they are evicted. (Holly Caruk/CBC) Margaret Glennie, an 87-year-old woman who has lived in the seniors' block for more than 20 years, said the move will separate her from a friend.

"It's terrible — horrible. I am going blind. A gentlemen here takes me to the Manitoba Clinic so I can get the needles for my eyes. Now, if we all break up as a group, I will lose my friend who takes me to the hospital," said Glennie.

"I feel like I should die right now. At this age, and all this, this is the end of my life," she said.

"[The] timing was not the best, we must admit," said Pete Sanderson, a spokesperson for Widlake Properties.

Sanderson said the company will demolish the block to build a new one and said tenants knew that was the intention one year ago.

Plans did change, though, according to Sanderson. At first, Widlake was hoping to build in two phases to make it more convenient for the tenants. The plan was to have tenants move into one phase while the other phase was being completed.

But Sanderson said the two-phase building process turned out to be too expensive.

"We only became aware in the last month or two [that] the numbers were such that if we don't proceed very soon, the cost of the project will go up considerably," said Sanderson.

He said there is no question it is a very difficult thing in the short term to evict the tenants, but in the longer term, he said it's the right decision for Widlake.

Resident Marianne Mosser said she feels betrayed by the eviction.

"I feel like I have been deceived and lied to and treated like trash. How can you give us a rent increase in April for the first of August and then say in May, get out?" said Mosser.

Mosser is 59 and just found out she has cancer.

"This is extremely emotional for me," she said. "I will have to go to a palliative care facility. I thought I would be here till I couldn't do anything for myself anymore."

All of the tenants meet in the common room every day for coffee, fellowship and to make sure their neighbours are okay. The block also has weekly barbecues and potlucks.

The property company has hired a third party, SAM Management, to help the seniors relocate, but some of the residents said that's little consolation.

Glennie isn't sure where she will go and said moving at her age is just too much to bear.

Mosser is similarly worried and doesn't want to move in with her grandchildren; she said she doesn't want them to have to watch her die.