‘I don’t want to be on the street’: Eviction notice leaves one Yellowknife couple with questions, fears

A renovation that could take "many, many months to complete" is set to potentially leave at least one Yellowknife couple without a home and facing fears about their future.

Cindy Nitsiza was already having a hard year. After a fire at Franklin House apartments in May, she said the flames meant moving out of her original unit and into a new one downstairs. The fire also destroyed some cherished possessions.

Nitsiza has since been staying in that new unit with her partner of six years, Louis Chartrand. Both said they are on income support for their respective disabilities.

Bugs crawl in their sink and across their cupboards. A lawyer representing them said they don't have any hot water.

It might not sound like much, but for Nitsiza, she said it beats having no roof over her head.

That could soon change. The couple has been told that, due to renovations in the building after the fire, they’ll have to vacate. With winter closing in and temperatures dropping, Nitsiza said she’s scared about the future.

“What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?” Nitsiza said, adding she has applied to stay at other places but is stuck on a waiting list. 

A notice from Range Lake Developments — their landlord — reads that renovations were to begin on Sept. 30. But so far, nothing’s been done, according to Nitsiza.

With tears forming in her eyes, Nitsiza said she's not sure what will happen next.

“I don’t want to be on the street,” she said. “It’s winter.”

Nitsiza said she’s been homeless before, which consisted of two years of sleeping in places like stairwells and laundromats.

“I don’t want to go through that again,” she said, crying.

In an email to CBC News, Range Lake Developments stated it has asked all tenants to leave in advance of a complete restoration. 

“The restoration will target various safety issues. The tenants have all been made aware of these safety issues,” the statement reads.