Quebec to offer ‘matching’ service for renting affordable or low-cost housing

The Legault government wants to take new action on the housing front. In particular, it wants to set up a one-stop shop for applications to rent affordable or low-cost housing and improve the efficiency of the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL).

These measures are part of a new bill tabled by Housing Minister Caroline Proulx in the National Assembly.

The bill presented on Wednesday by the CAQ representative proposes to enact legislation promoting access to housing and to amend various provisions concerning housing.

The proposed “Act to promote access to housing” would include the concept of affordable housing.

“This Act establishes the rules governing the allocation and rental of affordable housing and allows the rent for affordable housing to be subject to a request for determination by the Administrative Housing Tribunal,” the minister said in the Red Room.

The government is proposing the creation of a one-stop shop for applications to rent affordable or low-cost housing. According to the bill, this will enable “the matching of housing applicants with landlords.”

The portal would consist of two rental application registries, one for affordable housing and the other for low-cost housing.

The Société d’habitation du Québec would be responsible for implementing this public portal.

Through her bill, Proulx also wants to “increase the efficiency of the TAL.” The TAL could prohibit a party whose behavior is “vexatious or querulous” from filing a claim or other procedural action.

The bill also provides that the president of the TAL may require the parties to hold a conciliation session.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews