Suffering from incurable cancer, a mother could wait another two years to be closer to her family

Suffering from incurable cancer, a mother of three children could have to wait two more years, time that she does not have, for a change in zoning in the City of Quebec to allow her to settle closer to his family, who will take care of his loved ones after his departure.

Despite chemotherapy, Jasmine Johri, 32, says, her voice trembling, that her life expectancy is only two to four years, “in the best case scenario”.

She therefore plans to leave Sainte-Foy to have a residence built on Rang Saint-Ange, further west, on the limits of Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures. His uncle and grandmother already live in two houses there and his mother is also thinking of moving closer. During the interview, one of them left the room to discreetly wipe away a tear.

“It could be a few months too. I have stage 4 cancer with a poor prognosis. I would like to prepare for my departure in order to make my absence smoother for our three children. My situation is deteriorating,” explains the young woman, well aware of future needs since her partner works for Hydro-Québec in a remote region.

Already five years

Barring a miracle, his offspring will not even have entered adolescence when he dies.

The couple has been waiting for 5 years for a request for a zoning change on neighboring land, just across the street from the rest of the clan.

The lot is located in an agricultural zone, but cannot be cultivated. The lot is also surrounded on each side by two single-family residences, in addition to the railway at the rear. On site, we quickly noticed that the vacant land was small.

“Since 2019, we have taken steps with the City and we have had numerous refusals. Deadlines are imprecise and constantly delayed. Two more years, that’s if everything goes well,” says M.^me Johri, who even thought of cultivating something in order to be able to build his property.

“There is no definitive refusal. It’s just insecure. There is nothing else to do on this land,” adds his mother, Élisabeth Hamel.

The great-grandmother, aged 79, still has the health to help as much as she can. “That’s all I’m asking,” says Louise-Andrée Hamel.

Special situation

For his part, Jasmine’s uncle, Sébastien Hamel, obtained the right to demolish the neighboring building. He will soon be able to rebuild a residence while respecting certain rules. “If it was Saint-Augustin, it would possibly be resolved for her,” he said.

Other residences have recently been built in Rang Saint-Ange, where sewer and water services are already accessible.

“I explained the situation to City representatives. They hear me, but they never give me a clear answer. Nothing is moving forward and no one has come to the site even after several requests,” laments Jasmine Johri.

To date, no formal notice or lawsuit has been sent by the family.

“I want us to speed up the process. I want us to be understanding of our particular situation. I also want us to avoid comparing it to a large piece of agricultural land,” concludes the main interested party.

Files often very long, deplores the opposition

The leader of the opposition in the City of Quebec actually notes that the delays concerning zoning are often very long for citizens.

“We don’t understand why. We share the concern to protect agricultural land, but would it be possible to provide answers, whether positive or negative, more quickly? As elected officials, we would like to do it and I don’t understand why,” asks Claude Villeneuve.

Even in his position, the latter believes that the explanations are not always satisfactory, especially since the project can be unique and essential for the citizen who lives with uncertainty.

“It’s never clear and it’s hard for people to know where their request has gone. It’s shocking. The issue is not that someone travels, but that someone takes care of the file.”

On behalf of the City of Quebec, a spokesperson said he was sensitive to the particular case of Ms. Johri.

“The process is well underway on the City’s side. If all steps are completed in accordance with the regulations and laws in force, the zoning change would be effective by April 2025. The file will then be sent to the Commission for the Protection of the Agricultural Territory of Quebec (CPTAQ) for final approval. , mentioned Jean-Pascal Lavoie.

This government stage, however, has its own deadlines, which can vary from 4 to 6 months.

Construction could therefore hypothetically begin in a year, or six years after the start of the process.

The City also specifies that the withdrawal of land intended for agricultural use to designate it for residential or commercial use cannot be taken lightly.