Bulletin
LNHS – Update on Heatherlands Supportive Housing Program
June 6, 2025
To: All MoveUP Members at Lu’ma Native Housing Society - Heatherland
On February 18, 2025 the employer had served the union a Section 54 notice noting that the Heatherlands Supportive Housing Program would be closing due to the land lease agreement expiration, with the program closing as of November 15, 2025.
Section 54 of the Labour Relations Code requires that employers provide at least 60 days of notice to a union if it intends to introduce a “measure, policy, practice or change that affects the terms, conditions or security of employment of a significant number of employees.”
Section 54 requires the parties to discuss an adjustment plan, and allows the union to potentially negotiate terms and conditions that mitigate the negative effects such a measure has on affected employees.
We’ve met and discussed the matter with the employer, and we are happy to announce that we’ve reached an agreement on the labour adjustment plan directly effecting members at Heatherlands, which you can find here. The agreement is summarized as follows :
- A facilitated vacancy election and bumping process for members to transition into positions after program cessation
- Prorated severance in final year of service if anniversary date not met, on top of the severance available under Article 15.14 of the collective agreement, for any employee electing for severance pay instead of vacant positions or bumping
- Payment of sick leave credits for members electing severance up to 30 days
- Refence letters from the employer for employees opting to sever employment
- Enhanced severance calculation for part-time employees electing severance pay instead of vacant positions of bumping
- A four weeks’ pay retention bonus for all Heatherlands employees continuing to work until the program’s cessation
- Retained bumping rights as outlined in the collective agreement
- Layoff notices will be provided on June 15, 2025, but the anticipated date of closure still remains to be November 15, 2025.
We appreciate your patience while we negotiated the adjustment plan and awaited confirmation on the additional monetary matters (severance and retention bonus) from the employer. We will be assisting folks through the entire process of transitioning or electing severance.
Although members have until August 15, 2025 to make or amend elections, we recommend that affected members endeavor to finalize their current election prior to August 15, 2025, if possible. If you have any questions on your election options or the labour adjustment plan attached, you can reach me at gbates@moveuptogether.ca or 604-842-4902.
In solidarity,
Georgi Bates, Union Representative
