The “Françoise David law”, adopted in 2016 and aimed at better protecting seniors from evictions, has caused perverse effects, argued the Minister responsible for Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau.
“A few years ago, Québec solidaire [QS] passed a law that prohibits landlords from evicting a person over the age of 70 who has lived in their home for more than 10 years and who has a modest income. I think it’s a good measure. However, it had a negative effect, that of making owners hesitant to accept elderly tenants,” explained the minister during the debate on the principle of Bill 198 of QS which aims precisely to broaden the scope of the Françoise law. David.
Comments which strongly provoked a reaction from tenant defense groups. “It is unacceptable for a Minister of Housing to be complacent towards owners who say they want to discriminate,” said RCLALQ spokesperson Cédric Dussault during a press briefing at the National Assembly Thursday.
“Discrimination in access to housing in Quebec is illegal,” added FRAPRU spokesperson Véronique Laflamme.
Asked if it was true that landlords were hesitant to take on older tenants, the president of FADOQ, Gisèle Tassé-Goodman, replied: “Yes, and that’s ageism. We must banish ageism. »
The objective of the solidarity bill is to broaden the criteria of the Françoise David law in order to include in particular people aged 65 and over who have lived in their home for at least five years.
“We live on hope at the moment”
The debate on the principle of the legislative piece took place Thursday afternoon. The minister once again defended her Bill 31, adopted in February, by affirming that it protected all Quebecers, regardless of their age.
The debate ended without there being a vote, which led the solidarity caucus to say that there is still a chance that its bill will be adopted, while admitting that the government might never recall it . “We are living in hope at the moment,” said solidarity MP Christine Labrie, adding that her party was “talkable”.
Although the CAQ government agreed to call the bill solidarity, it sent signals earlier this week that it had little willingness to pass it.
QS devoted Thursday to defending its bill. The supportive deputies stood up during question period to question the Minister responsible for Housing. According to France-Élaine Duranceau, the housing crisis is caused by the insufficient supply of housing, and therefore, “we must not create a coercive context throughout Quebec. Rather, we must encourage construction.”
The Liberal Party and the Parti Québécois are in favor of the bill. The PQ leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, however, did not hide his annoyance at the way in which QS raised the issue of protecting senior tenants in public spaces.
“QS negotiated directly with the CAQ to obtain a media moment,” he said.
Remember that the call for the solidarity bill was the subject of behind-the-scenes negotiations between Simon Jolin-Barrette and the parliamentary leader of QS, Alexandre Leduc. QS committed to speeding up the adoption of Bill 15 on the health system by gag order and in exchange, the government was going to call Bill 198, Mr. Leduc explained earlier this week.