• The LTC option was examined very carefully in 2003 and again last year.
•  The Government of Quebec does not support or  give $ to staff & operate long term care facilities.Quebec's  prioritiy remains keeping   seniors healthy and  living in their communities.
• Long term care  facilities  are very expensive to staff and operate- if we established an LTC facility, it would be respondible for such costs. This is considered unrealistic at this time. The plan for the Residence allows for a future expansion-this could be as an LTC, if it was financially viable.

• HSJB will be co-owned by three groups (the Health Coop for its offices and pharmacy/dispensary; an insurance company and HSJB for the 24 unit Residence itself). Each owner will be a member of a "Syndicate Board" that decides all matters of common interest.
• As  with a normal condominium, each owner is responsible only for its own "space", and will control its own operating budget, with common costs being shared in proportion to use.
• There is NO "joint and several liability". So, if any owner can't pay its costs, the other owners have NO liability for them & SHQ guarantees the Residence mortgage 100%.

Risks -  very few and very small

          . As the SHQ guarantees 100% of the Residence's mortgage, Montcalm has $0 liability for it.

Benefits -  several and quite significant.

• A significant number of seniors will be able  to stay in our communities, with some possibly moving here to be near  a family member and with more family members and friends visiting year round.
• Some  full or part time jobs will be created to service all partrs of the HSJB project as well as for the Health Coop & commercial offices.
• In addition to medical services, it is planned that the Health Coop will provide a service by which prescriptions can be placed & picked up at the Coop site.

• There are currently 75 applicantions  for our 24 units. According to the  demographics, the number of people over 65 will double over the next ten years.
• The use of the building  as a senior's residence cannot be changed without SHQ and Syndicat Board approval.
• The SHQ has never allowed the change of use from residential housing;and would most certainly reduce the minimum age requirement for residential eligibiliy in the most unlikely event of any long-unfilled vacancies.
• HSJB will offer bilingual services for which there will be a strong demand in our area for the foreseeable future.

Detailed studies on the quantity and quality of water are  a mandatory part of planning for all such projects, and successful water tests are required by the Quebec Ministry of Environment & SHQ prerequiste of their approval for us to build.

Following detailed engineering studies conducted the summer of 2011, these prerequistes have already been met.

CAMMAC used a new design that was improperly installed;and the contractors involved have paid to correct the problems arising.

 No such system is planned for HSJB. As with the answer to Q5, proof of a satisfactorysystem/design is required before construction will be approved by the SHQ.

As sole guantor of our Residence's financing, the SHQ is even more interested than Montcalm citizens in having cost-efficient and major-problem-free septic & water systems. In the very unlikely event of a major problem, required contarctor insurance will pay in full to correct them.

Septic system maintenance is part of the common costs of the whole Project and will be shared in proportion to use by the three co-owners. (see Q2)

Size: The 24 unit capacity of the Residence has been approved by the SHQ and the number and sizes of its common areas comply with the standards required by the SHQ. The planned sizes of the various rooms planned in the first phase of the Coop have to conform to regulations and do so in the current plans. The size of the commercial office space has been agreed with its prospective owner.

Ongoing Council support will depend on a satisfactory plan being agreed upon before construction can start.

*Number of units for local residents: There is no minimum number of units for local applicants, so all residents could well come our local communities. It is the SHQ that administers the process of selecting applicants who will be offered a unit. By law, any resident in Quebec can apply and be considered. However, the HSJB Board can suggest eligibility criteria that relate to local factors and, to date, 88% of applications received have come from those living in our local communities, with the other 12% made-up of those who have close ties to our area.

*Number of Units for low-income rent-subsidized applicants: SHQ reuires that up to 50% of apartments- or 12 units in our case- be available for occupants receiveing subsidized rental support. IF such applicants apply AND meet the same mandatory criteria that apply to other applicants(eg. age)

*Payment of rent subsidy: Those approved for low-income rent subsidy pay 25% of their monthly income towards their rent. Quebec pays 90% of the balance & by law, Montcalm- as the "host" Municipality- pays the other 10% of the balance.

Because each person's income-and thus 25 % rental contribution-varies, it is not possible to estimate in advance how much any or all rental sudsidies will cost. However, in line with many other municipalities, Montcalm Council has voted to limit its total payment for such subsidies to a maximum of $5,000. a year.

*Our rents will be kept as low as possible. However, they must be within a narrow range that is established by the SHQ based on ITS determination of the mid-to-lower-end of the prevailing rents for similar housing in our region.

Based on what we know today, the rent of a one-bedroom apartment will be approximately $535 a month, and a tw-bedroom one being approximately $650. Rents do not include electricity, telephone/cable/internet costs.

*However, we also need to make sure that the residence will be financially self-sustaining. Also, in order to have a viable dining room, tenants will be offered 5 main meals a week, with the SHQ having to approve their nutritional acceptability. We expect a main meal will be in th range of $8 -$10.

* Construction Timeframe: We are now hopeful that construction can start by early-to-mid summer 0f 2012 and be completed in time for occupation by sometime in the mid-to-late fall.

* Main factors affecting timing: The main determinant of when construction starts is raising the remaining "Contribution du Milieu". If we are making strong progress in raising this money, SHQ will likely approve the start of construction.

* The main factor in opening the Health Coop is locating one (or More) doctors to staff it.

*If we can raise the money and find a doctor by the end of next Spring, we are 90% sure these dates are realistic.