{"id":934839,"date":"2026-10-16T06:02:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T06:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/934839\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T06:02:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T06:02:14","slug":"montreal-families-of-seniors-at-west-island-residence-challenge-care-fee-hikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/934839\/","title":{"rendered":"Montreal families of seniors at West Island residence challenge care fee hikes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Families at a private seniors\u2019 residence in Montreal\u2019s West Island are challenging steep increases in monthly care fees, saying assessments were conducted without their consent and that they are being asked to pay more for services they believe are already included in their leases.<\/p>\n

At Ch\u00e2teau Pierrefonds, some families say they were told to expect an additional $1,500 a month in care costs, while one resident\u2019s increase was initially set at $1,500 before being reduced to $1,000.<\/p>\n

\"\"Ch\u00e2teau Pierrefonds, a private seniors\u2019 residence in Montreal\u2019s West Island. Oct. 15, 2026. (Lola Kalder, CityNews)<\/p>\n

For Mario Di Carlo, whose mother, Maria Borsellino, has lived at the residence for four years, the changes have raised questions about the assessments and the services his mother will receive in return.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been here for four years with very little regression, if you will. And now she finds herself having to face these sudden increases,\u201d Di Carlo said.<\/p>\n

He said he has spoken with more than 30 families who share similar concerns about the residence\u2019s new administration.<\/p>\n

Marie Petrossian, whose mother, Takouhi Madjarian, has lived at the residence for three years, said a $4,500 increase represents a 150 per cent jump in care fees.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith that type of increase, you wonder sometimes, what more is she going to get?\u201d Petrossian said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Marie Petrossian and her mother Takouhi Madjarian, Oct. 15, 2026. (Lola Kalder, CityNews)<\/p>\n

The increases follow assessments using the Syst\u00e8me de mesure de l\u2019autonomie fonctionnelle (SMAF), a tool used to evaluate a person\u2019s autonomy and care needs.<\/p>\n

In a letter to Di Carlo, the residence said his mother\u2019s assessment justified the increase. After he challenged the results, the amount was reduced from $1,500 to $1,000 a month.<\/p>\n

Petrossian said she also questioned the assessment of her mother, which she believed was conducted by people who had limited interaction with her.<\/p>\n

She said a second assessment was conducted after she requested one, resulting in a five-point drop in the score.<\/p>\n

Families argue the assessments have not led to additional services and that assistance with dressing, showering and housekeeping is already covered by their existing leases.<\/p>\n

Suzie Asselin, whose mother, Huguette Savageau, has lived at the residence since February 2026, said her family was also told to expect an additional $1,500 a month.<\/p>\n

\u201cI nearly fell off my chair, as they say. Then I looked carefully at her lease, and all the care she needs is already listed in it,\u201d Asselin said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Suzie Asselin and her mother Huguette Savageau, Oct. 15, 2026. (Lola Kalder, CityNews)<\/p>\n

Ahmed Chetioui, director of Ch\u00e2teau Pierrefonds, said families may not fully recognize how much assistance their loved ones require because they do not see their needs throughout the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdding staff comes at a financial cost, and money doesn\u2019t grow on trees,\u201d Chetioui said. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t accept a situation where a completely independent resident pays the same as someone who needs more than three hours of care.\u201d<\/p>\n

The residence\u2019s current owners took over in 2025. Andr\u00e9 Gr\u00e9goire, director of operations and partner at Gestion BBT, which owns Ch\u00e2teau Pierrefonds, said the SMAF assessments are conducted by the residence\u2019s registered nurse, who knows the residents and their circumstances.<\/p>\n

They explain that the assessments help determine how much time staff must spend caring for each resident. They added the tool is not itself a billing mechanism, but the time identified through the assessments is what they are using to assess increases.<\/p>\n

The owners also said they increased staffing after identifying gaps in care, adding three attendants to day shifts, bringing the total from nine to 12, and one to evening shifts, bringing the total from seven to eight. Adding that the additional payroll costs were not included in the original budget.<\/p>\n

They also explained that some residents could see their fees decrease if their assessments show they require less assistance.<\/p>\n

However, tenants\u2019 rights lawyer Manuel Johnson said a SMAF assessment alone cannot justify additional charges.<\/p>\n

Under Quebec\u2019s Regulation<\/a> respecting the certification of private seniors\u2019 residences, operators must obtain written consent for each autonomy assessment. The regulation also says a resident\u2019s lease can be amended to add services only if the resident chooses those services, and that operators cannot bill for them without the resident\u2019s or their representative\u2019s consent.<\/p>\n

Emmanuelle Th\u00e9riault a spokesperson for Sant\u00e9 Qu\u00e9bec Ouest-de-l\u2019\u00cele-de-Montr\u00e9al \u2013 Universitaire reinforced this in an email to CityNews saying, \u201cprivate seniors\u2019 residences may use the SMAF tool to assess a resident\u2019s needs. However, such an assessment cannot be used to compel a resident to accept or purchase additional services.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf an assessment reveals additional needs, the residence must instead consult the resident to determine the appropriate way to address them,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Johnson said the circumstances surrounding consent are also important, including whether families or resident understood what they were agreeing to and had an opportunity to seek legal advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is another illustration of the dangers and the difficulties of leaving seniors\u2019 care in the hands of the private sector,\u201d he said, arguing that private operators face pressure to generate profits.<\/p>\n

In a letter to residents and families, Ch\u00e2teau Pierrefonds said it would discuss assessment results with families if they differed from previous evaluations. The letter said any changes to services would be discussed with residents or their representatives, with amendments to leases taking effect at renewal unless otherwise agreed.<\/p>\n

\"\"Ch\u00e2teau Pierrefonds, a private seniors\u2019 residence in Montreal\u2019s West Island. Oct. 15, 2026. (Lola Kalder, CityNews)<\/p>\n

The residence also said that if an agreement could not be reached, it would submit a notice of excess care needs to the CIUSSS de l\u2019Ouest-de-l\u2019\u00cele-de-Montr\u00e9al so the public health network could determine what support might be available.<\/p>\n

Chetioui said the residence issues such notices when a resident\u2019s care needs exceed what it can safely provide with its available resources.<\/p>\n

Families say they have contacted the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL), Quebec\u2019s ombudsman and local CLSCs to understand their options, as some approach their lease renewal dates.<\/p>\n

Asselin said her family is exploring legal options to secure affordable housing for her mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking at our legal options to see what can be done to get an affordable rent, because we still have to house our mother for the rest of her life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Di Carlo said he hopes the residence and families can reach an agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hope is that we go back to the contract that we\u2019ve been having all of these years, that there is a reasonable understanding that this is sufficient,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tMario Di Carlo and his 95-year-old mother Maria Borsellino, Oct. 15. 2026. (Lola Kalder, CityNews) <\/p>\n

\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n

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