From evicted tenant to owner: CKIA radio’s “sweet revenge”

Driven out of its Saint-Roch premises to make way for short-term rental lofts, the fate of community radio station CKIA has changed. Forced into exile in Old Quebec for three years, the station is finally returning home, this time as the owner of its own studios.

It’s a sweet revengesays Marie-Josée Renaud, operations and development coordinator for 88.3 FM. Starting next winter, the radio station will be broadcasting from 556, Carré Lépine, an address next to the YMCA and Lauberivière, at the intersection of Rue du Pont.

The area in question has become a window on homelessness and social inequalities in the capital. Many people crowd there daily to take advantage of the services offered in the city centre.

Their presence has been creating tensions in the neighborhood for several years among some merchants and residents. But it certainly does not scare CKIA, which sees it instead as a coherent environment in which to establish itself.

The radio station, recalls Ms. Renaud, was founded by a group of community organizations in 1984. Dissatisfied with the space they were given in traditional media, the idea was to offer a voice to marginalized people on public airwaves.

The mission has not changed and CKIA continues to give a voice to those who have less of a voiceshe says proudly. Now she wants to do it at the Lépine square. The move will allow CKIA-FM to actively contribute to the social cohesion of the Saint-Roch district.

Ousted for Airbnb

While the housing crisis is well known, the crisis of spaces for community organizations is a little less so, although it is regularly addressed at CKIA. We receive a lot of groups who fight against gentrification and real estate speculation.attests Mrs. Renaud.

Ironically, CKIA experienced the phenomenon not so long ago.

In 2019, the owners of the building that housed his former studios on rue Saint-Joseph announced that they would not renew the leases, thus driving out various tenant organizations. The building has since been converted into turnkey lofts intended for short-term tourist rentals, popularized by the online platform Airbnb.

Without recourse, CKIA had to move at the end of its lease in 2021, giving way to the Lofts du Théâtre.

Due to a lack of adequate space in Saint-Roch, the board of directors at the time fell back on premises on rue Saint-Paul, in Old Quebec, from where it will continue its activities until January. Surrounded by art galleries and restaurantsradio is not quite in its place, believes Marie-Josée Renaud, mentioning in passing that rent is too expensive.

Even though CKIA is about a twenty-minute walk from its former studios on Saint-Joseph Street, the distance and change of scenery were enough, she says, to change the dynamic with the community, its stakeholders and its customers.

CKIA, formerly known as Radio Basse-Ville, felt a disconnection from its roots and began looking for a way to return home. For us, it really makes sense to come back to Saint-Roch. However, there is no question of being a tenant and running the risk of being evicted again.

This time, CKIA has decided to take control of its destiny.

Tour de force

Rebecca Breton, project manager for the acquisition of CKIA’s new home, pushes open the door of 556, Carré Lépine. Inside, we recognize a meeting room and traces of the office spaces recently removed from the century-old residence.

Everything still needs to be done. The main studio will have to be set up, perhaps on the ground floor with the administrative offices. On the first floor, CKIA plans premises for its volunteers, then a second recording studio on the second.

CKIA settled with the law firm that previously occupied the space for $525,000, a major expense for a nonprofit. It took a year and a half to find the money to buysays Mrs. Breton.

It’s a big bite, she agrees, but owning your own building should be profitable in the long run, as well as providing some stability. The risk of being evicted all the time puts us in constant financial danger.she maintains. Moving radio studios is no small feat, she insists. The money we invested in Saint-Paul is a loss.

Moving from program to program, the organization worked for months to identify the grants that could be used to make her dream of becoming a homeowner come true.

Ms. Breton herself was hired thanks to a grant obtained by CKIA under the Investment Readiness Program. This is a federal envelope aimed at supporting projects led by organizations with a social vocation, particularly community and cultural.

Having arrived in her position a year and a half ago, the project manager set to work to find the rare pearl and to fill out funding applications with various partners.

The programs, she noted, are often not adapted to the reality of the real estate market. There are grant applications that will help finance part of the acquisition, but these applications will take a year to receive a response.

And some are conditional on having already signed a promise to purchase.

What owner is going to sign a promise to purchase knowing that, maybe yes, maybe no, we will have a subsidy in a year?

Lucky break

Luck finally smiled on community radio. We had people who were ready to wait for us.

Not hiding its dissatisfaction with the City for its management of the Lépine square and its frequentation by homeless people, the law firm was looking to sell its property, but was not yet ready to do so last year.

CKIA therefore signed a promise to purchase in August 2023, giving the organization one year to find the funds needed to acquire the property. Ms. Breton also welcomes the collaboration of the former owners in the matter. Everyone was a winner.

The two parties were finally able to formalize the transaction in recent weeks, with CKIA having obtained the necessary loans for the initial funding.

The next few months will be devoted to work inside the building. An official inauguration will be celebrated in January.