New Quebec rent rules could push cost of building repairs onto tenants
Posted October 20, 2025 10:45 am.
Tenants across the province could soon face higher rents as landlords may gain power to pass on the costs of building repairs and renovations.
A draft regulation that would loosen rent-setting rules was introduced on Sept. 3 by the former Minister of Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau.
The consultation period ended on Friday.
The new rules could allow landlords, after renovations, to include a 5 per cent increase for their maintenance and renovation expenses (including interest paid) in their next annual rent increases. This rate is intended to amortize their capital expenditures over a 20-year period.
Since 2006, the depreciation rate has fluctuated annually between 2.4 and 4.8 per cent , according to data from the Ministry of Housing, down from 4.8 per cent last year. It is determined by a calculation based on the prevailing interest rates.
The Administrative Housing Tribunal’s (TAL) new formula for calculating rent increases would be based on the average of the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) from previous years. It would therefore abandon the current system based on inflation specific to the operating costs of housing.
This is the second draft regulation tabled by France-Élaine Duranceau in connection with rent fixing. A version almost identical to the current proposal was tabled on April 16, but the minister did not follow up on it.
Nearly 15,000 people have signed a petition against the new rules.
