Achi news desk-
A Regina man who says he was given two hours to vacate the seniors’ home he lived in after being evicted shouldn’t have been forced to move in the first place.
Chris Ritter lived at Muchmore Lodge for six months before an incident involving another resident occurred in which the police had to be called.
Ritter said he received an eviction notice on April 2 and was told he only had two hours to vacate the premises.
“You’re supposed to get two oral warnings and one written warning,” Ritter explained.
Ritter said he spent the next three days outside in the cold before being taken to Regina General Hospital (RGH) by a police officer.
Ritter has diabetes, which requires him to inject insulin four times a day. He also relies on a catheter and faces mental health challenges.
“I had nowhere to go. I just put some stuff on my cart. Like I don’t know how to load my insulin so I didn’t have insulin. Medicines, I just took some pills with me,” Ritter added.
Management with Mutchmor Lodge said they need to consider the rights of all residents in their facility, adding that when one person exhibits disruptive behavior appropriate steps must be taken to ensure the safety of all.
“In this particular instance, the latest in a series of incidences of his behavior over a three-day period, was when he refused to leave another resident’s suite,” said Mutchmor Lodge executive director Leroy Brandt. “That resident’s solution was to call the police for assistance in removing the person,” he added.
According to Brandt, about 80 residents live in the facility.
“How do we balance everyone’s needs equally because everyone deserves an environment where they feel safe,” Brandt said.
Alternative resources were offered to Ritter, according to bureau staff, but they say he declined.
After being released from the hospital, Ritter said he wasn’t sure where he would go because he wasn’t aware of a facility that could fit his needs.
CTV News has reached out to the county government for comment and is awaiting a response.
