Forced evictions exploded by 132% in just a year, making 2022-2023 the worst year ever recorded, according to data compiled by the Regroupement of housing committees and tenant associations of Quebec (RCLALQ).
“We didn’t think it would have increased so much in one year,” says Cédric Dussault, spokesperson for RCLALQ.
Cases of housing repossessions, evictions and renovations increased from 1,525 in 2022 to 3,531 in 2023, calculated the RCLALQ, which obtained these figures thanks to 30 member organizations of the group.
“All these cases represent forced evictions for the RCLALQ,” it is written in the report presented Monday.
Between 2020 and 2023, the number of forced evictions compiled increased by 492%, adds the organization. There were 597 cases of forced evictions in 2020.
Despite this, these figures only represent the tip of the iceberg, for Mr. Dussault, since the vast majority of tenants do not assert their rights, or do not know them.
“The seriousness of the situation is also expressed by the growing distress of the tenants who contact us. The consequences of forced evictions are increasingly serious,” insists Mr. Dussault.
For example, the Petite-Patrie Housing Committee claims to have received four calls from tenants with suicidal plans in the last three weeks, says Mélanie Baril.
“It’s a terrible situation where housing committees no longer just defend rights, but where we become a crisis center,” she adds.
Montreal, sad champion
And without much surprise, it is in Montreal that the number of forced evictions was particularly high since there were 950 cases in 2022 and 2,306 cases in 2023, an increase of 143%.
And it is in the borough of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie that the greatest number of files were opened with 485 cases, followed by Plateau-Mont-Royal (391).
The regions are also particularly affected since the RCLALQ records a 121% increase in cases of forced evictions. The regions around Montreal, such as Montérégie, Lanaudière or the Laurentians, sadly occupy the top of the ranking, notably with the South Shore Housing Committee, which recorded 336 cases of forced evictions.
In Quebec, in just one year, the number of cases increased from 88 to 149, an increase of 69%.
Phenomenon that spreads
If the figures are also higher, it is because there are more member housing committees which have transmitted their data to the RCLALQ, specifies Mr. Dussault.
“A few years ago, there were places where there were just no or almost no evictions, so it was not necessarily relevant for certain groups to do the counting,” he explains.
For the latter, it is clear that if Quebec does nothing, the situation will only get worse since with the rise in interest rates, in particular, many owners risk resorting to these forced evictions to maximize their income. rental.
“More and more owners don’t even bother pretending anymore. Impunity is almost total for owners and speculators with villainous practices who make fun of tenants’ right to remain in their premises,” insists Cédric Dussault.