Mayors of major Quebec cities call for rent registry

Fourteen Quebec mayors are calling on the Legault government to adopt a public, mandatory and universal rent registry.

Their letter, which includes signatures from the mayors of Quebec City, Gatineau, Laval, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, explains that the current housing crisis is crushing more and more people, and that the solution of a mandatory register would have a major impact on halting rent inflation and restoring balance.

“So right now what we’re asking with this, rent registry is basically one tool that tenants should actually have to try to limit the increases that we are seeing in our cities,” said Guy Caron, Mayor of Rimouski.

Tenants’ rights organizations have long been calling for the introduction of a register and mandatory rent control. These include the Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU) and the Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ).

“A lot of tenants don’t necessarily know what the rent was paid by the previous tenant. And also it is right now practically uncontrolled rent increases. That happens when there is a change of tenant. So the first thing is rent registry will limit the rent increases when there is a change of tenant,” said Cédric Dussault, Co-spokesperson with RCLALQ.

In their view, with a rent registry, tenants would have the information they need to refuse an abusive rent increase, since they would know the price paid by former tenants.

The mayors who signed the letter, made public on Wednesday, point out that the housing crisis in Quebec has devastating consequences for society as a whole. They add that Bill 31, which would modify the assignment of leases, could result in a further increase in rents in Quebec.

“By and large, landlords are actually increasing their leases or their rent in appropriate fashion. But in some cases it’s not the case. And we’re seeing extravagant rate rises, which the current market is actually allowing. I’ll give you an example. In Rimouski, not Montreal, in Rimouski, we’re seeing posted an advertisement for a two bedroom for $2,000 a month,” said Caron.

They write that by adopting a rent registry, the Quebec government would facilitate the negotiation of lower prices in the rental market. They believe that a register would help curb real estate inflation resulting from rising rents.

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The mayors add that municipalities would then be able to monitor the evolution of their real estate stock in real time, and better target investments in the residential market.

The Corporation des propriétaires immobiliers du Québec (CORPIQ) recently voiced its disapproval of a rent registry. The organization believes that publishing rent prices will have no positive effect on the housing crisis, as it will not increase supply.

“The rental registry that we launched on May 11 is a clear way forward to move things along, to make sure that we protect the housing affordability, which has been a key part of the housing residential market in Quebec for decades now. So what we’re seeing, I think, is a strong position from mayors across Quebec in favor of broad based affordability, in the interest of the entire Quebec population,” said Adam Mongrain, director of Housing policy with Vivre en Ville.

CORPIQ adds that publicizing rents could have a facilitating effect on landlords tempted by the renovation phenomenon.

Other signatories to the letter are the mayors of Granby, Carleton-sur-Mer, Mascouche, Nicolet, Rimouski, Saguenay, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Terrebonne. Benoit Dorais, mayor of the Sud-Ouest borough, vice-president of the Executive Council and responsible for housing at the City of Montreal, also signed his name to the letter.

“So we want the government to recognize that there is a crisis, that we need to find solutions. Right now we’re proposing a tool in the toolbox, but there are others, and this is why in this case we’re in favor of registry,” said Caron.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 28, 2023, and translated by CityNews.