On the sidelines of a demonstration bringing together hundreds of tenants in the Petite-Patrie district, in Montreal, the Regroupement of housing committees and tenant associations of Quebec (RCLALQ) described the Minister of Housing as “incompetent”, all by requesting the withdrawal of Bill 31.
• Read also: $20,000 fine: Young owner sentenced for illegally evicting his 77-year-old tenant
“In addition to the withdrawal of the bill, the demonstrators demand the resignation of the incompetent Minister of Housing France-Élaine Duranceau, while calling for an immediate freeze on rents to curb the explosion which is affecting the whole of Quebec,” we can read in a press release.
For the RCLALQ and the demonstrators, Bill 31 represents a setback for tenants’ rights in the province.
TVA News
The group maintains that the adoption of the bill would allow owners to refuse an assignment of lease without serious reason.
The increases in rent prices are added to those observed in new registrations, particularly in the regions, denounces RCLALQ spokesperson Cédric Dussault.
“What is happening is that there are even greater increases also for the accommodations that are displayed. Last year, the regions which experienced the most dramatic increases in available housing were Abitibi-Témiscamingue and the Côte-Nord,” he underlines in an interview with TVA Nouvelles.
“By removing the right to transfer a lease, it takes away the only small way that there was for tenants to maintain affordable housing and to somewhat preserve the affordable rental stock in Quebec.”
TVA News
Here are some reactions from demonstrators collected by our journalist:
“We must fight against Bill 31, because it is very unfair, very good for owners, but very bad for us, the tenants. We must fight!”
“We are really against the project. There are already a lot of tenants on the street […] We hope that the CAQ government will take responsibility for taking action to help tenants.”
*See the explanations in the video above*