In order to prevent tenants from being put on the street to make way for Airbnb housing, Québec solidaire is asking the government of François Legault to prohibit the evictions of tenants for conversion into tourist accommodation throughout Quebec.
“For some people, Airbnbs are beautiful travel photos. But for many people in Montreal right now, Airbnbs are a nightmare, ”explained Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois on Wednesday during a press briefing. at Place Simon-Valois, in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
At his side, Jean-François Raymond and Sylvain Roy, testified to the anxiety they have been experiencing since receiving an eviction notice from their landlord.
Tenant in an apartment on rue Ontario, Jean-François Raymond, 58, will have to leave his apartment on 1er next July because the new owner of the building where he has lived for 22 years wants to rent out the accommodation on the Airbnb platform. His neighbor will also have to leave the accommodation he has occupied for 54 years. “We are experiencing frightening stress, worries about where we are going to settle,” lamented Mr. Raymond. “We will no longer have the means to live on the island. »
Sylvain Roy, he has lived for 25 years in a dwelling in Old Montreal bought in December by a corporation. Like the 15 other tenants, he received an eviction notice due to a change of use of the building for hotel use. Only three tenants decided to defend their rights before the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL).
“The worst thing is that right now, all of this in Quebec is perfectly legal. The law allows owners to evict their homes to convert them into permanent Airbnbs for tourists when they are located in unregulated areas,” said Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
He believes that in the midst of a housing crisis, the CAQ should ban this practice. ” It is easy to do. It costs the government absolutely nothing. We can do that very quickly. We are talking about a very simple amendment to the Civil Code of Quebec to remove conversion into tourist accommodation as a reason for eviction provided for by law,” he said.
Further details will follow.