Housing advocate says province needs to do more to address housing crisis

One housing advocate says the Quebec budget tabled Tuesday doesn’t go far enough in addressing the province’s housing crisis and more needs to be done.

“We feel that Quebec government has abandoned completely the other social housing that we’re still waiting for the financing that the CAQ promised when they arrived in power the first time to deliver and there is still some of these units…if we’re just looking at Montreal to know there is at least seven projects that are still waiting for these [financing] to get out off the ground,” said Catherine Lussier, Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU).

“When you look at the budget it’s sending for us all worrying signals.”

Nearly $483 million will go towards housing, including $219.4 million for maintaining and operating existing housing units over four years, $62.3 million for promoting the housing market, and $200.8 million over three years to continue the Shelter Allowance Program.

“I was paying under $1,000 a month when I got there and it’s a little over a thousand now which is already a lot of money for myself because I live alone. But now, apparently, they are charging $1,900 a month which is silly because they haven’t renovated anything,” said Alex Johnson.

After six years since moving to Montreal, Johnson is back on the housing market looking for a place to live after he says he’s going through a rent eviction.

“The lowest I can find close to where I’m living now is close to $1,500.”

According to a report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, tenants in Montreal are facing the largest rent increase in 30 years, with the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment increasing by nearly eight per cent compared to 2022.

“We need a minimum of 50,000 units over five years just to answer the most urgent need,” said Lussier.

With Moving Day in the province on July 1, Lussier says she’s worried about what’s to come.

“We are afraid to see more and more tenants that will not be able to find something, or a place to stay, and will stay longer in temporary shelter and fall into homeless that is visible or not,” explained Lussier.

Johnson adding, “It’s just going to drive people out of the city and it’s going to take away from the beautiful aspects of Montreal.