Montrealers Fight for the Right to Continue Lease Transfers

Montrealers are gathering weekly to protest Bill 31, a provincial law being put forth which seeks to end lease transfers in Montreal and the rest of the province.

Front de lutte pour un immobilier populaire has been organizing weekly protests to denounce both Bill 31 and the CAQ government for putting forth legislation that negatively affects renters. Demonstrators fear without lease transfers, rents will continue to rise exponentially high without a tool for tenants to maintain affordability.

The demonstration was organized outside of Lionel-Groulx station. 

Lease transfers are a useful tool in maintaining affordable rents, as transferring one lease to another requires landlords to maintain rent increases within a legal limit. Once a tenant leaves and a new lease is made, landlords can raise the rent without a legal limit. 

Quebec's housing tribunal has allowed for landlords to legally increase the rent up to 2.3 per cent.

The average rent price has reached a new record, as rent is going up more than $100 a month in Canada, reaching an average of $2,117 per month.

Rent is going up more than $100 a month right now, pushing average asking price to new record

Bill 31 was tabled by Quebec Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau in June. Recent Bill 31 protests have brought out thousands, including a demonstration in Parc-Extension and Hochelaga. This event brought a few dozen, but attendees expressed eagerness to fight this bill and allow affordable rents to continue to exist. 

Organizers at Front de lutte pour un immobilier populaire describe Bill 31 as the provincial government "adding fuel to the fire" in the midst of a housing crisis in Quebec.

The next demonstration will take place Thursday, October 19 at 6 p.m. outside Joliette metro station in Hochelaga.