Montreal’s next mayor needs to act fast on social and affordable housing: community activist

“There’s real action that needs to be taken,” says Amy Darwish, of a tenants’ rights group in Parc-Extension, on the housing crisis in Montreal. She’s calling on mayoral candidates to turn promises into action. Alyssia Rubertucci reports.

By Alyssia Rubertucci

Social and affordable housing has been a major ballot box issue throughout Montreal’s municipal election campaign.

The city’s community activists and residents say no matter who comes into power Nov. 7 – Valérie Plante, Denis Coderre and Balarama Holness are the three main candidates – they want to see promises turn into concrete change.

“We are hoping for more measures to end evictions, for more rent control and the implementation of a lease registry,” said Amy Darwish, coordinator at Comité d’Action de Parc-Extension (CAPE).

A 2021 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report found average rent in Montreal shot up by 4.2 per cent last year – the biggest increase since 2003.

Darwish says Montreal is at a crossroads and the next mayor has to ask themselves tough questions.

“Do we want Montreal to remain in a city that’s affordable to immigrants, to families, to precarious workers, to people living on social assistance? Or do we simply want it to be playground for developers and the rich?” said Darwish.

CAPE unveiled interactive maps that highlight the distribution and evolution of evictions in the borough since 2017, based on data they collected as the tenants rights association for the area.

Darwish and her colleagues are working to keep neighbourhoods affordable.

“I believe there’s real action that needs to be taken in order for people to be able to remain in the neighbourhoods that they love and they call home,” Darwish said.

CAPE unveiled interactive maps that highlight the distribution and evolution of evictions in the borough since 2017. (Credit: CAPE)

Incumbent mayor Plante of Projet Montréal have committed to building 60,000 affordable housing units over 10 years. The party also promises to implement an “owner certificate” for buildings of eight or more units to keep track of renovations.

Ensemble Montréal, led by Coderre, would create a rent registry and increase the number of inspectors. Coderre also promised to build 50,000 new housing units in his first mandate if elected.

Mouvement Montréal’s Holness would make all new residential developments with eight or more units contain: 30 per cent social housing and 30 per cent affordable housing, with affordable housing costing tenants a maximum of 30 per cent of their total monthly income before taxes. He also wants to create a registry to serve as a rent control system.

“I believe it’s absolutely not enough so far,” said Darwish. “Most of the promises are more aimed towards affordable housing, which is calculated as percentage of the market rate, which in the context of real estate speculation – like we’re seeing actually – ends up being not affordable for the overwhelming majority of low-income tenants who are struggling to find a decent place to live.

“There needs to be far more emphasis on social housing.”

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