Tenant advocates have been sounding the alarm for months, pointing to data showing that average rents in Quebec have soared
Quebec’s housing affordability crisis deepened this week as nearly 15,000 tenants and their supporters called for an immediate rent freeze, increasing pressure on the provincial government to respond to what advocates described as an “unprecedented” surge in rents.
The petition, presented in Quebec’s National Assembly by Andrés Fontecilla, also demanded rent control and a rejection of proposed regulatory changes that tenant groups say would further fuel rent hikes.
The Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ), representing more than 60 tenant rights organizations, led the campaign.
“The CAQ is opening the door to even greater increases and to an acceleration in the transfer of wealth from tenants to landlords,” Émile Boucher, spokesperson and community organizer at RCLALQ, said.
“The new minister must understand that tenants’ ability to pay has already reached its limit and that we will always oppose a government that aims to line the pockets of the wealthy at the expense of the majority!” Boucher said.
Tenant advocates have been sounding the alarm for months, pointing to data showing that average rents in Quebec have soared. Rentals.ca and Urbanation revealed that in January, Quebec saw a slight 0.4% increase, while the average asking rent became $1,964 in May.
According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), average two-bedroom rents in Quebec rose by 5.2% in 2024, amounting to $1,159.
These increases have outpaced wage growth and inflation, leaving many renters struggling to keep up. Rising rents are also impacting the homebuying market, as would-be buyers find themselves priced out of ownership and forced to remain in the rental market longer.
Quebec’s affordability crunch has pushed more households to delay home purchases, further tightening rental supply and driving up prices.
Proposed regulatory changes, introduced by former Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau, have drawn criticism from tenant groups. The new draft, they argue, would allow landlords to pass the full cost of renovations onto tenants and tie rent increases more closely to inflation, potentially locking in higher rates for years to come.
“It’s time to act: the new minister, Sonia Bélanger, must show the people of Quebec that she can correct the mistakes of the past. Freeze rents now and get to work on regulatory reform that protects our right to housing,” said Shannon Franssen, interim coordinator and spokesperson for RCLALQ.
The petition outlined several demands: rejecting the current draft regulation, developing a new framework for effective rent control, introducing an absolute cap on annual rent increases, requiring landlords to justify increases above the set rate to the Tribunal Administratif du Logement, and creating a public rent registry. The RCLALQ also called for a rent freeze until these measures are enacted.
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