Several hundred people demonstrated on Saturday in Montreal to oppose Bill 31 on housing, which would allow owners to more easily refuse lease transfers.
Equipped with signs, whistles or instruments, the demonstrators gathered at midday, despite the gray weather, in the Parc-Extension district.
“It has been demonstrated repeatedly for a long time that the problem is abusive rent increases between changes of tenants. At the time of the move, the owners take advantage of this to circumvent the law, and make abusive rent increases,” Matin Blanchard, co-coordinator of the Regroupement of housing committees and tenant associations of Quebec (RCLALQ), declared on the microphone, before the crowd begins the march.
The demonstration took place while, earlier this week, the article concerning the transfer of lease in Bill 31 was adopted during the detailed study of the bill, article by article, in parliamentary committee.
“We are taking away from the tenants the only tool that worked at all to calm things down,” lamented Mr. Blanchard. In addition to the RCLALQ, the Front for the Fight for Popular Real Estate (FLIP), as well as the Parc-Extension Action Committee took part in the organization of the event.
If Bill 31 is adopted, an owner will be able to refuse an assignment of lease for reasons other than serious ones. The Minister responsible for Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, defended herself this week, arguing that if an owner refuses to transfer the lease, the lease will simply be terminated. The tenant will therefore be free to leave.
She insists that the transfer of lease is not a rent control measure and that all the rules for setting prices will continue to apply.
Resignation requested
The organizations that organized the demonstration demanded the resignation of Minister Duranceau on Saturday.
“With each article, we try to see how we can improve the situation of tenants in the context of a housing crisis. The bill is not finished, and we do not know if we will succeed in finishing it this week. I have several amendments, and so do the other opposition groups,” said Québec Solidaire (QS) MP Andrés Fontecilla during the demonstration. The parliamentarian, who is participating in the detailed study of the bill, said he did not know if the bill will be adopted by Friday.
“The situation is serious, rents keep increasing, it leads to practices like renovations, it leads to more homelessness, it leads to the impoverishment of lower-income households, and also middle-class households “, he declared, alongside his colleague MP for the Verdun constituency, Alejandra Zaga Mendez.