In Quebec, the 1er July is traditionally the official moving day.
But this custom is disappearing, particularly in Montreal. More and more people are now choosing to change their address to another date, moving companies note.
Pierre-Olivier Cyr, co-owner of Clan Panneton, has never seen such a spread.
“In Montreal, on the 1ster July will be fairly quiet, but all the days around that date, two weeks before and two weeks after, are “booked”. When I look at my chart, I don’t have a curve on the 1ster July where I need 300 movers because it’s crazy. Quite the contrary. The curve is flat, but it’s much higher than it was. I don’t have my “peak” from 1er July,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
According to him, “renovictions” are the main cause of this new phenomenon.
“This year, there is something special: we have never filed so many applications with the Régie du logement for evictions. That represents 40% of moves. It was very quiet until March-April, I was at about 200 fewer moves. All of a sudden, it started to take off, and now I am at about fifty more.
“Since there are a lot of moves paid for by owners and they don’t want to pay the 1er July, they reach agreements with their tenants so that they move out a week or two before or after. So there is a “boom” at the moment because there are last minute agreements. »
In 2023, the company which conducts its activities in Quebec and Montreal had calculated a significant drop of 30% in demand compared to the previous year. Business is much better in 2024.
“There was a boom with the reduction in interest rates. I feel like the madness is starting to die down again. I’m happy for this year,” rejoices Mr. Cyr. “In Montreal, the dates of June 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 have been 100% full for a long time. And it’s not because of the rates since they’re only apartments.”
Consumers also benefit because the price of a move is set based on the principle of supply and demand.
“When the peak period comes, we have to rent extra trucks and pay for placement agencies, so we indirectly pass the bill on to consumers. That’s why it’s more expensive on the 1er July. This year, as demand is spread out, we were able to control our costs for the 1er July, especially in Montreal. It’s a win-win for consumers since it costs them less in the end,” underlines Mr. Cyr.
He points out, however, that “it’s a completely different story elsewhere in Quebec because there is a labor shortage everywhere except in Montreal.”
An outdated idea?
The co-owner of Clan Panneton hopes that this trend will continue and spread to the entire province.
“I must admit that my wish is that we succeed in keeping this trend and stretching it even further. If we succeed in extending the moves more and more, it will be less chaotic on the 1ster July. It’s likely to be a lot easier this year. And I hope it continues to stabilize in the coming years.”
He considers that “it is an outdated idea” in 2024 to systematically move the 1er July.
“If the housing crisis has changed people’s moving habits, that’s at least something good. Adaptation is a positive side for customers. »
Valérie Saint-Amour, who runs Déménagement Puissance, makes the same observation as Pierre-Olivier Cyr.
“I was born into moving, so I know how it works. 1er July is really not like it used to be. Normally, the days before the 1ster July are already “booked” since March, but I still have room this year. And it’s quiet for July 2, when we usually have a lot of work,” she says.
Like his colleague, Mme Saint-Amour observed a longer staggering of orders.
“The “rush” lasts the whole month, but it’s more spaced out than before. The good news is that we have work all year round, but it’s a long way off. »
A historic low
Overall, she noted that “there is definitely less traffic than before” and that “people are no longer moving because of the housing crisis.”
“Today, people no longer want to move. With the housing crisis, before moving, they will think twice,” adds Mr. Cyr.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) confirms their words: the number of moves has never been so low. In 2023, some 658,000 people changed addresses, or 7.8% of the province’s population. In comparison, this rate was 10.3% just four years ago.
“The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), during its rental survey, calculates the tenant turnover rate. This has been declining for a few years and is now very low, indicating that few tenants are moving at the moment. The lack of housing on the market and high rental prices help explain this phenomenon,” says CMHC spokesperson David Harris.
At 1.3%, the vacancy rate in Quebec is the lowest in 20 years. As for the average rent, it has increased by 17% in two years. In the past year, rent increases have outpaced both inflation and wage growth, reports CMHC.