July 1 is just around the corner and some people are already getting a head start to avoid the hustle and bustle of move-out day, but both city officials and housing advocates are preparing for tenants left stranded.
“Low-income tenants are still having a lot of difficulty finding apartments,” says Catherine Lussier, a community worker with the housing advocacy group Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU).
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Montreal city officials say that’s why they are redoubling their efforts this year to help those at risk of not having a place to rent in early July.
“For those who have not yet found housing by this Friday, July 1, call 311 as soon as possible and we will direct you to the right resources,” said Benoit Dorais, vice-president of the City of Montreal’s executive committee and head of housing, real estate strategy and legal affairs.
Services include help finding an apartment, as well as emergency housing and storage.
This is not the first time the city has done this, but according to Dorais, they are pushing harder this year.
“We have also worked with private landlords to create a bank of available units for tenants in need,” he added, noting that the city’s housing crisis is worsening.
According to the city, since January 1,000 people having trouble finding affordable housing have called 311, triple the number from the same time period in 2020.
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Lussier believes that figure could be just the tip of the iceberg.
“We know that there are people who don’t enter this data,” he reasons, “because, for example, last year they were left without an apartment, and that for a year they just went from friend’s house to friend’s house.”
Dorais said that until Tuesday, at least 33 families will not have an apartment on Friday.
On July 1 last year, 100 Montreal families had no place to live. With rents rising, housing advocates wonder if this year will be even worse.
“In places like Montreal North … we’re really concerned about what the situation is going to look like,” Lussier told Global News.
The opposition from the city of Montreal blames the city itself, saying it should have been better prepared.
“Why do they expect 33 families to be homeless?” asked housing critic Benoit Langevin. “Why aren’t (city officials) prepared?”
The city says it is doing everything it can to have as few people left as possible.
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Reference-globalnews.ca