Montreal presents plan for real estate crisis scheduled for July 1

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Last year in Montreal, the city’s housing authority had to put 134 families in hotels because they couldn’t find an apartment on July 1, Quebec’s traditional moving day. The average length of stay in hotel rooms until suitable accommodation could be found was more than two months.

With the Greater Montreal region’s vacancy rate at 1.5 per cent, its lowest rate in 20 years, the situation is expected to be even worse this year. On Wednesday, two months before moving day, the city of Montreal presented its plan to deal with the expected increase.

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“It’s good news that we have (several support programs for people in difficulty),” said Mayor Valérie Plante. “But it is also bad news that we are forced year after year to add more resources to help more and more people who cannot find a place to live and are in desperate situations.”

In 2019, there were 350 people who called city services for help finding housing around July 1, Plante said. By 2023, that number had nearly tripled to 900 applications, and is expected to rise even further. This year, the city has received 177 calls requesting help more than two months before moving day, a 15 percent increase from the same period last year.

The city will once again collaborate with the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal (OMHM), responsible for managing the housing stock on the island of Montreal, to offer services. They will include help finding a new apartment, temporary hotel accommodation, and storing furniture and belongings if necessary.

The city has increased its budget for services provided by OMHM from $1.5 million in 2019 to $3.5 million this year.

“I make no secret that these are short-term solutions to ensure that people do not end up on the streets,” Plante said. “What we really need is more accommodation – social housing, affordable housing.”

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The problem has spread from low-income people to middle-class families, he said, adding that municipalities require more funds from the province to build housing.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported in January that the vacancy rate in the Greater Montreal region rose from three per cent in 2021 to two per cent in 2022 and 1.5 per cent in 2023. The average rent of 4½ Two-bedroom prices rose 7.9 percent to $1,096 in 2023.

Resources for those seeking accommodation

He The City of Montreal lists several resources. to help those looking for apartments. They include:

• Call 311, the city’s information line, for tips or resources available to households at risk of losing their homes.
• The Montreal Municipal Housing Office (OMHM) has a home search tool on your website which lists apartments available on the private market. You can search according to your budget and the number of rooms needed. Gonna omhm.qc.caClick on the Housing Application link and then on the Private Housing Market Available link.
• The city’s 211 helpline directs callers to social and community services available in their surroundings.
• Revenu Québec offers a housing subsidy program which will provide up to $170 a month to help low-income households pay rent. Gonna www.revenuquebec.caclick on the Citizens link, then the Your Situation link, and then Low Income.

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