‘I don’t want to live on the streets’: Halifax man being forced out of home after partner dies

globalnews.ca:

Randy Beals has been living in an apartment in the Clayton Park area of Halifax for the past seven years.

Following the death of his longtime partner, Lillian, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April and later died as a result of surgery complications in July, the future of Beals’ living situation has become uncertain as he’s now being forced out of their apartment — with nowhere else to go.

In addition, his recent health struggles haven’t been making his complicated living situation any simpler.

“I was in the hospital for a couple weeks … I got ill, doctors’ appointments left, right and, centre. It’s just sad and now it’s even worse, because I have nowhere to live,” he said, adding that his illness recently caused him to retire from a 25-year tenure working at a nearby hospital.

“Where am I going to go? I don’t want to live on the streets, I don’t want to live downtown, around tents and things like that.”

Because his partner was the only name on their apartment lease, MetCap Living, the property management company, is legally able to terminate their rental agreement under Nova Scotia law, despite the fact he and another family member are continuing to live inside the unit as paying tenants.

Melissa, who only felt comfortable providing her first name, is Beals’ stepdaughter and is now acting as his primary caretaker. She said she filed a request to take over the lease following her mother’s passing.

A month later, she was notified by the building owner that her application had been declined.

“There (was) no response from the landlord. Finally, I spoke with the superintendent who then advised me that they wouldn’t provide her with any answers as to why the application was declined at the time. All she knew (was)