The number of “forced” but not necessarily illegal evictions and repossessions of housing is on the rise in the province, notes the Regroupement des Comités Logement et Associations de Tenants du Québec (RCLALQ) in a new report. An increase that the organization attributes to “real estate speculation”, the effects of which on tenants extend well beyond the territory of the island of Montreal.
An annual report called “Displace to get rich” reports a 150% increase in cases of housing repossessions and “forced” evictions of tenants in Quebec for a total of 3,110 cases recorded between 1er July 2021 and June 30, 2022, compared to 1243 cases during the same period the previous year.
“This year, it is an alarming situation. The figures are the highest in Quebec since we made this compilation, “said RCLALQ spokesperson Martin Blanchard on Tuesday.
This data is based on complaints from tenants referred to housing committees across the province. These concern both legal situations of housing repossessions and evictions denounced by tenants and fraudulent cases, for example when major works are used as a pretext to permanently evict tenants. The organization’s compilation also includes high-profile cases of evictions and repossessions.
The RCLALQ also argues that a large part of these evictions and housing repossessions are undoubtedly fraudulent or “malicious”.
“These are mainly speculative operations” aimed at increasing the value of buildings by evicting their occupants, who very often pay rents below the market average, argued Mr. Blanchard on Tuesday, in a virtual press conference.
These evictions have the effect of causing tenants to move outside their neighborhood, while the rapid increase in rents has the effect of leading to the impoverishment of many tenants, notes the RCLALQ. The organization also notes in its report that “the number of forced evictions is increasing by 508% in cities and regions outside Montreal and Quebec City”, a sign that this phenomenon is spreading more and more outside major centers. .
The publication of this report comes a few days after that of the 2021-2022 annual report of the Administrative Housing Tribunal, which reported a 29% increase in one year in civil cases brought by owners concerning housing repossessions. The TAL identified 2,540 in one year, compared to 1,970 in its previous report. Requests for authorizations for major works are also increasing from one year to the next.
More details will follow.