“The housing crisis is not just a Montreal crisis”





Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the borough of Verdun, in Montreal, to denounce the government’s inaction in the face of the housing crisis, a phenomenon which they say is spreading in the province.

Posted at 2:43 p.m.

Vincent Larin

Vincent Larin
The Press

They demand in particular the establishment of a national rent register, a rent freeze, and the resignation of the Minister of Housing, Andrée Laforest.

The organization responsible for the event, the Regrouping of housing committees and tenant associations of Quebec (RCLALQ), is concerned to see the housing crisis spreading outside of Montreal.

According to the most recent report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) published at the end of February, several small municipalities in Quebec now have rental vacancy rates close to 0%, such as Granby, Drummondville, Rouyn-Noranda, Rivière-du-Loup and Joliette. Note that the CMHC does not publish data for cities with less than 10,000 inhabitants.


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS

“The housing crisis is not just a Montreal crisis,” said RCLALQ spokesperson Marjolaine Deneault. What is really worrying is really the situation in the regions, outside of Montreal and in the bordering districts, I am thinking of Montreal North, which were not affected before. »

“We see regions, intermediate towns, tourist towns, we think of Gaspésie, the Laurentians, which are really affected by phenomena of people who moved during the pandemic and who caused housing shortages there. “, she continues.

The demonstrators must conclude their march at Arthur-Therrien Park.


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